E-Government in New York City Public Education

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Analysis of the Problem
Stakeholders
Causes of Inequitable Access to Learning Opportunities
Possible Solutions
Recommended Solution and Its Cost
Measuring Results
Conclusion
References

Introduction

E-government processes are related to technology use and citizen participation in politics. With regards to public administration, e-government refers to the transformation of government processes using interactive communication tools. The Internet is one appropriate way of improving interactive communication processes among people and institutions at all levels. One of the social problems of New York City is disparities in students’ learning opportunities in public schools that have been caused by inequitable access to learning opportunities. The problem has been aggravated by economic and social segregation in the city. However, some of the factors causing the disparities in education among students in the New York City public schools can be addressed through ICT usage, which helps diminish the problem.

Analysis of the Problem

Several studies have shown that discriminatory access to learning resources is one cause of the difference in students’ performance. For example, according to Owens (2017), an increase in family income of just $ 1,000 was reflected in an increase in children’s test scores by 5-7%. In addition, another study has demonstrated that students from low-income families have higher performance in higher-income schools than in lower-income schools (Owens, 2017). Both outcomes are related to student access to academic resources as well as an enabling learning environment. The US Federal government initiated programs such as eRate and Title I funds usage in purchasing educational resources in a move to address equity concerns related to differential access to digital tools and the Internet (Darling-Aduana, 2020). The programs, however, were availed to well-performing students while lower-performing, minority students were sidelined. Thus, this program further exacerbates inequalities because students who need the most resources for learning cannot get them because of low grades, probably, caused by limited access to learning resources.

At the same time, online and computer technologies have become an integral part of the education system, especially in 2020-2021. Before the pandemic, online lessons and computer systems were widely used by students for finding additional information. For example, many libraries and databases that include thousands of textbooks and articles are available online. In addition, online classes improve student’s interactivity in the learning environment and participation in problem-solving and critical thinking tasks (Darling-Aduana, 2020). Thus, the educational benefits of online resources are recognized by many scholars regardless of the primary educational environment. Nevertheless, the coronavirus pandemic has made technology and online classrooms a critical part of education as they have become the only source of information and the ability for teachers to interact with students. However, students from low-income family backgrounds are disadvantaged as they cannot use these digital tools for learning if they do not have stable internet and devices. This problem is especially relevant for large families, since online classes run in parallel, but low-income families often do not have several devices to provide all children with access to lessons.

Consequently, the main problem is inequality in the education of New York City caused by socio-economic reasons for both student families and schools in the districts. Inequality manifests itself in the insufficient level and often reluctance of teachers in lower-income schools to make efforts to change the learning conditions and the limited availability of physical resources such as textbooks, computers, and equipment. That inequality could result in differences in students ’academic achievement. However, Hart et al. (2019) agree that digital learning tools can help in solving the problem due to availability and increased Internet speeds which reduces geographic constraints experienced by poor students in remote areas. Due to the scalability of educational software, applications and online classes can be accessed by students throughout a state and the entire state.

Stakeholders

The problem of inequality and disparities in the education of New York schools and the need to address it has many stakeholders due to the complexity of the education system. The first interested party is students, since their future life and career depends on their access to educational resources and level of knowledge. Statistics show that children from families with incomes below $ 25,000 per year are 13 times less likely to complete high school on time (Taylor, 2017). At the same time, two-thirds of adults who do not have a high school diploma have incomes below $ 25,000 per year (Taylor, 2017). In addition, even a high school diploma does not guarantee college admission and graduation. Most children from low-income families need to demonstrate outstanding academic performance to receive a scholarship that will cover all educational expenses. These students have no other options because their parents cannot provide them with college fees. Consequently, students are interested in getting enhanced access to learning resources and information to enable them to build and strengthen essential 21st-century skills (Darling-Aduana, 2020). Most children want to have a quality secondary education to go to college and get a decent job to end their poverty.

The second group of stakeholders is parents and guardians, who usually wish for a happy future for their children. Parents who are unable to pay for private schools for social, economic, or other reasons want their children to receive an adequate level of knowledge in public schools. They are guided by the same reasons: they want their children to achieve financial stability and successful careers. However, since general social inequality and other external factors often hinder a higher family income, parents are interested in changes in the educational system that they can influence by expressing their position. For example, building stronger relationships with teachers and school administrators allows them to respond more quickly to emerging issues. Thus, parents expect the school to deliver students who are adequately prepared for future digital demands, even if they do not show excellent academic performance in a traditional understanding of their learning skills.

School administrators and teachers are also interested in solving the problem for several reasons. Instructors have unique interests in this project, including the need to improve their teaching plans and methods and personalize learning, create more inclusive learning environments that foster collaboration and student engagement. In addition, they strive to establish stronger relationships with their students, colleagues, and even parents (Jacob et al., 2016). School administrators are also interested in greater student engagement and stronger relationships between teachers and parents because they enhance collaboration and reduce conflict situations. These changes contribute to better student outcomes and hence the status of schools.

The reasons for such changes can be both ethical and moral and economic. Firstly, some of the teachers and administration are interested in improving the knowledge of students to provide them with a favorable start for their careers and develop their potential. In other words, they are interested in realizing their professional skills and vocation. Second, basic government funding encourages private funding. For example, improving learning conditions in schools will encourage middle- and high-income parents to send their children to district schools instead of paying for private schools. At the same time, they can make financial investments to improve the learning environment for their children. Thus, the elimination of inequality in school education promotes an equitable distribution of private funds, rather than concentrating them in private fee-paying schools.

The state government is also interested in eliminating inequalities in education as this is a significant socio-economic problem. The state and the federal government would like to ensure that public schools deliver quality, accessible education to help reduce the gaps in using technology. First, the solution to this problem is the responsibility of the government, which serves its people. Secondly, the low quality of education also affects the employment of the population, the lack of labor force, and the amount of social benefits.

For example, the United States faces a shortage of medical professionals, which has become especially critical during the pandemic. The low level of secondary education for a part of the population deprives them of the opportunity to receive professional education and aggravates this problem. It is likely that among children who dropped out of school or failed to go to college, there could be future professionals in areas that require special skills. However, limited access to educational resources, for example, due to geographical distance or the lower-income of the school, prevented them from reaching their potential. Consequently, two-thirds of these children will also receive low income in the future, since they do not have the skills for a high-paying job; hence, they will need social benefits from the state. Therefore, the government is a stakeholder because of its responsibility to solve social problems and the economic benefits of improving the quality of education.

Causes of Inequitable Access to Learning Opportunities

The two main reasons for unequal access to learning opportunities are economical and racial inequalities. As noted earlier, low-income families cannot pay for their children’s education in private schools that provide students with a higher level of knowledge. However, the main problem is that public schools in lower-income and higher-income districts also have significant differences in funding and educational resources. This situation exists because schools are usually funded through districts’ real estate taxes; hence, more expensive real estate areas provide more money to schools (Owens, 2017). Consequently, inequality is exacerbated as low-income families tend to live in lower-income areas with cheap real estate, and therefore their children go to schools with inadequate funding and access to educational resources. This aspect also applies to racial inequality, since statistically, Black families and other minorities have lower income levels (Owens, 2017). Researches also show that black middle- and high-income families are less likely to live in high-income districts than white families of the same economic status (Owens, 2017). Thus, racial and economic inequality leads to disparities in education regarding the use of technology and other educational resources in New York City public schools.

Moreover, it is essential to note the importance of technology and disparity during the Covid-19 pandemic. After the closure of schools due to the pandemic, the school administrations enrolled students in remote online classes. Online learning ensured that learning continued while at home. On March 22, 2021, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio ordered a section of the students back to schools while others stayed at home to proceed with remote learning. (Shapiro, 2021). Shapiro relates that low-income and minority students were also allowed to return to school, which is an important precedent. However, since the pandemic is still a threat to society, it is necessary to solve the problem of lack of access to high-speed Internet and electronic devices for needy students so that they can study from home.

There are other factors alongside economic and racial segregation which cause inequitable access to learning opportunities. In the study by Hart et al. (2019), other factors related to family resources such as parental education and household composition can result in disparities in education among students. The study also notes that school resources such as the student-teacher ratio and school facilities also influence students’ learning. The US Department of Education (n.d) states that structural barriers such as inequitable funding systems aggravate the identified problem, since most needy schools in low-income communities receive little local and state funding contrary to expectations. According to the US Department of Education (n.d.), few students from low-income and minority families complete their education because they face expulsion, suspension, dropouts and are less likely to access qualified teachers and effective curricula. Thus, these causes demonstrate that addressing inequality in school education requires extensive social and political reforms. However, since they require significant effort and time, other solutions can also be used to reduce disparities in access to educational resources.

Possible Solutions

The problem of disparities in education regarding the use of technology and other educational resources in New York City public schools requires a comprehensive solution. Firstly, the state government of New York should increase its funding to schools in low-income areas to facilitate the procurement of academic resources. Secondly, more teachers should be employed in populated schools to lower the student-teacher ratio. When more teachers are employed, there will be increased contact with the students on the teachers’ part, which can facilitate the process of knowledge transfer. However, these solutions are long-term and require significant investment increases to prioritize school equipment, books, repairs, or teacher salaries. For this reason, changes need to start by providing students in need with access to online resources.

Measuring Results

Measuring the success of a solution will be considered at several levels. First, attending online classes, if students study from home, and students’ tests scores before and after they receive laptops will help to assess the effectiveness of the solution on an individual level. These performance indicators will be measured over time among students who access online resources to determine the actual impact of the program on inequality. Public school graduation, college enrollment, dropout rates, as well as general knowledge, and digital literacy among students will also be measured to assess the overall success of the program. Additionally, a questionnaire survey of students can be used to determine the influence of other socio-economic factors in comparison with the availability of technology on the children’s motives to study.

Conclusion

Therefore, the analysis demonstrates the existence of the problem of disparities in education and access to learning resources for students of public schools in New York City. Since E-government is concerned with transforming government procedures through interactive communication tools, digital learning tools are one e-government strategy to promote education. The leading causes of inequality in public school education are economical and racial segregation and an inadequate school funding system that deprives the lower-income districts of educational resources. Other factors include family background and availability of school resources that affect students learning. Therefore, a solution that can diminish education disparities is to empower needy and minority students with digital learning resources such as laptops and the Internet. This solution will help students gain the knowledge they need and attend classes regardless of where they live or their demographic features.

References

Darling-Aduana, J. (2020). High school student experiences and learning in online courses: Implications for educational equity and the future of Learning [Doctoral dissertation, Vanderbilt University]. Vanderbilt University Institutional Repository

Jacob, B., Berger, D., Hart, C., & Loeb, S. (2016). Can technology help promote equality of educational opportunities? RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(5), 242-271. Web.

Hart, C. M., Berger, D., Jacob, B., Loeb, S., & Hill, M. (2019). Online learning, offline outcomes: Online course taking and high school student performance. AERA Open, 5(1), 1-17. Web.

Owens, A. (2017). Income segregation between school districts and inequality in students’ achievement. Sociology of Education, 91(1), 1-27.

Shapiro, E. (2021). New York City high schools will reopen in pandemic milestone. New York Times. Web.

Taylor, K. (2017). Poverty’s long-lasting effects on students’ education and success. Insight Into Diversity. Web.

The US Department of Education. (n.d). Equity of opportunity. Web.

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