Use economic indicators plus household size to prioritize families, and target outreach through schools with low family engagement¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 mixed) · 3 studies (3 associational), q2 · 0 of 3 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The report distills its participation findings into recommendations for internet-access programs. It concludes "Using economic indicators to prioritize students worked for Chicago Connected; students with lower economic means were more likely to participate in the program," and adds that "Programs could use the information on household size and prioritize households with more family members in addition to economic indicators." It also recommends targeting dissemination to schools with low family engagement, since students there were less likely to participate.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Program eligibility or prioritization criteria that can incorporate economic indicators and household size
• Outreach channels, including schools and community-based organizations, to disseminate information and support sign-ups

Constraints¶

• The report notes much unexplained variation: more than one-half of FRL-eligible students did not participate, and barriers such as distrust, outdated contact information, device lack, and package inflexibility were raised as open questions

Target Learners¶

• Eligible K-12 public school students in low-income households
• Families in temporary living situations

Target Learning Goals¶

• Remove internet-access barriers to online learning and remote education

Claims¶

• Participation rates rose with eligibility index score, reflecting program prioritization [~W]
• School characteristics were associated with participation: district-run schools, higher proportions of eligible students, and strong family engagement [+W]
• Technology access problems during the COVID shift were more prevalent among minoritized students and students from lower-income households [+W]
• Latinx, Black, and Asian students participated at higher rates than White peers; household size explained Latinx, Black, and Asian differences [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Assume Support
• Consider Socio-Cultural Factors
• Targeted and Specific Communication with Families
• Offering Multiple Options for Family Engagement

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• de la Torre, M. (2023). Exploring Chicago Connected: Participation patterns. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/exploring-chicago-connected