Remote schooling and digital divide being the key factors for educational inequalities in underprivileged communities

Abstract

The sudden shift to remote learning for K–12 schools during COVID-19 significantly affected the educational outcomes of disadvantaged adolescents and exacerbated the existing digital divide. This article explores research on how the pandemic impacted the educational attainment of these youth, focusing on the challenges posed by remote learning and the digital divide. We discuss the effects of the digital divide on student learning during the pandemic, examine its impact on the delivery of special education services, and provide an intersectional perspective on the relationship between the pandemic and remote learning. Additionally, we review literature on the widening achievement gap in the context of COVID-19.