Equity in Access to Math Education and Technology in a Rural School: A Literature Review

This literature review examines the effects that the lack of equity in access to technology and advanced math courses by rural students has on their college and career readiness when compared to that of non-rural students. The literature concerning equity in accessibility to technology by rural students suggests that the homework gap persists in rural communities even though substantial efforts have been made to close the gap. These efforts include an increase in dual-credit course offerings, increased broadband availability and technology lending at school. In many rural areas, the equity in access to a device may not necessarily be the main concern. Rather, accessing broadband due to its expense or the inability to have reliable access due to the geographic impediments creates a distinct equity concern for rural students. Once the problems were identified for this literature review, suggestions for providing rural school districts with potential solutions was created.