Access to internet and technology is a necessity for children in Tribal communities
Denver, Colo. (March 21, 2025) – On February 28, I presented at the Michigan Academy of Arts, Science, and Letters Conference hosted by Alma College. The audience consisted of 16 individuals, most of whom were professors and doctoral students representing colleges from across the United States and Canada.
My presentation was titled, “Building Education Equity: Understanding the Digital Divide Among Children in the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.” This research derives from prior survey data collected in partnership with the Sault Tribe to understand the perceptions and use of telehealth among Tribal members, which you can read more about here.
With this data, I take a differing approach to further understand the Digital Divide in households with children and how a lack of technology access can produce negative education outcomes.
While millions of Americans lack access to high-speed internet and computer devices, Native Americans are disproportionately affected by the Digital Divide compared with other populations in the United States.
According to a U.S. Census Bureau study on broadband, 90% of U.S. households have broadband access. However, only 71% of households on Tribal lands have access. These figures indicate a clear challenge for Native American households when it comes to the Digital Divide and elicits further research into the prevalence of technology in Tribal communities.
The objective of this study was to better understand the Digital Divide among members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and how it relates to educational outcomes for children in these households.
To achieve this objective, I first had to identify the rate of computer ownership and internet subscriptions among Tribal households with children. I analyzed the following two survey questions in households with children (n=189):
- Do you subscribe to internet service at home?
- Does your household have a computer? This could include a desktop, laptop, or tablet device.
The results from this analysis show that 16% of Sault Tribe households with children fall into the Digital Divide in some way. Among these households, 7% report that they do not own a computer, 6% do not subscribe to home internet, and 3% lack both internet and a computer.
In other words, 1 out of 6 households with children do not have the necessary technology at home to complete online homework and other school-related assignments. In cases such as this, children may have to rely on smartphones, which are often not compatible with all computer programs, making these tasks significantly more challenging and time consuming.
Others may have to rely on resources outside the home like libraries, restaurants, and other locations where free Wi-Fi is available. An absence of readily available internet and technology resources creates a significant barrier for children in school, in which they must work significantly harder than their peers who do have easy access to technology and the internet.
Further analysis indicates that income is a clear indicator of computer ownership and home internet subscription among these households. In households with an annual income below $35,000, only 75% own a computer and 83% have a home internet subscription, while 94% of households with an income greater than $35,000 own a computer, and 93% of those have home internet.
These findings indicate more initiatives that get devices and internet into the hands of lower income households are needed, especially in homes with school-aged children. Compared to the national level, households with children in the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians are falling behind when it comes to computer ownership.
According to ACS data, 94.8% of U.S. households own a computer, while only 89.9% of Sault Tribe households with children report owning a computer. This reaffirms that further efforts should be made to address the lack of computer ownership in households with children.
There can be long-term consequences for children who grow up in homes without internet and technology. Children in these households may struggle to complete homework and other online material, which could lead to lower grades and, in some cases, failure to graduate. But negative implications expand outside the classroom as well.
Children growing up with limited access to technology may be less digitally literate than their peers who have devices available to them. Since many careers require higher education and digital competency, children growing up in the Digital Divide may have fewer job opportunities or may have to settle for lower paying jobs, which could influence their future economic status.
In conclusion, further action is required across government agencies and local organizations to continue to expand broadband development and make internet affordable for all, including Native Americans and those on Tribal lands, to prevent communities from falling deeper into the Digital Divide. Additionally, schools should be equipped with the resources to provide technology to students without internet and computers at home.
In today’s technology-driven society, no community should be left behind. Ensuring that everyone has access to high-speed internet and a computer is where to start.
Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.
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About the Author: Shauna Plath is the Connected Nation Research Assistant. She is responsible for using qualitative and quantitative techniques to interpret data collected through surveys, focus groups, and other public-facing methodologies. Shauna also works with internal and external stakeholders to help develop research and provide critical information in support of the Connected Nation mission.