IOWA CITY, Iowa — Students’ access to technology has improved over time, although it continues to vary across family income categories and racial and ethnic groups, according to a new study released today by ACT, the mission-driven provider of assessments, research, and work-ready credentials designed to support education and workplace success. And a majority of students — 70% — are concerned about having enough money to purchase the technology needed for college.

“Although some gains in high school students’ technological device and internet access have occurred since ACT first investigated the digital divide in 2018, device and internet access of students with lower family incomes is lagging that of students with higher family incomes,” said Jeff Schiel, Ph.D, an ACT lead research scientist and author of the report. “There is also a concerning new data point: Nearly three quarters of students are worried they won’t be able to pay for the technology they need for college.”

The new report, How High School Students Use and Perceive Technology at Home and School, examines high school students’ access to and use of technology and how access and use vary among student groups. The study continues the research that ACT published six years ago, The Digital Divide and Educational Equity.

Nearly all (96%) high school students reported having access to a smartphone at home, and 87% had access to a laptop computer. But students from higher-income families were significantly more likely than those from lower-income families to report having home access to desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Gains across all income groups indicate that more students are now connected, but disparities in access to technology remain significant.

“A large number of students reported being at least moderately confident in using technological devices to find information for schoolwork. However, students from higher-income families expressed higher confidence and were more likely to trust the information they find online compared to their peers from lower-income families,” Dr. Schiel added. “Speaking of trust, in another recent study, we found that many students did not use AI tools because they did not trust the information provided by the tools. As AI and digital content become increasingly prevalent, ensuring that students can critically evaluate and trust the information they consume will be important for their academic and career success.”

Students’ family income category was also significantly related to home internet access. Seventy percent of students with low family incomes (less than $36,000 per year) reported having a monthly cellular data plan for home internet access, compared with 64% of students with moderate family incomes ($36,000 to $100,000 per year) and 58% of students with high family incomes (more than $100,000 per year). This indicates that lower-income students are more likely to rely solely on cellular data plans and lack access to more robust and stable internet options, such as broadband.

“As technology becomes increasingly integral to students’ learning, the persistence of the digital divide means disparities in access continue to prevent students from engaging in online learning and completing assignments,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “This divide also could affect students’ ability to develop digital literacy skills, which are essential to preparing students for the challenges of consuming content in an AI-driven world. We are seeing gains in critical areas of technology access compared to our 2018 findings, but they are not enough to bridge this divide. We must prioritize ensuring equitable technology and quality internet access for all students to support their future success in a digital-first world.”

The report is based on a December 2023 survey of national ACT test registrants.

Key findings:

• Students from higher-income families were more likely to have home access to desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Ninety-two percent of students with high family incomes reported having laptops, compared to 88% of students from moderate-income families and 76% of those from low-income families.
• The percentage of students with low family incomes who had access to two, three, or four devices at home was 10 percentage points larger than in 2018 (82% vs. 72%, respectively). The percentage of students with moderate family incomes who had access to two, three, or four devices at home increased from 86% to 93%, a gain of 7 percentage points.
• Black and Hispanic students were more likely to access the internet via monthly cellular data plans (67% and 66%) than were Asian and white students (56% and 58%).
• Dial-up access was more common among Black and Hispanic students (5% and 4%) than Asian and white students (3% and 2%).

About ACT
ACT is transforming college and career readiness pathways so that everyone can discover and fulfill their potential. Grounded in more than 65 years of research, ACT’s learning resources, assessments, research, and work-ready credentials are trusted by students, job seekers, educators, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world to help people achieve their education and career goals at every stage of life. Visit us at www.act.org.  

Contact: Allie Ciaramella;  allie.ciaramella@act.org