At-home access to the internet gives students enhanced learning opportunities and allows them to continue that learning when emergencies keep them from going to school.
Western Suffolk BOCES and New York State are working to ensure that our students have the connectivity and devices they need to succeed. To do so, we are asking that you let us know what resources your child has at home.
Please complete a Digital Resources Survey for your child by clicking the link below.
For families with more than one child in a Western Suffolk BOCES program, we ask that you complete a separate survey for each child.
If you need assistance with the survey, please contact your child’s school.
About the Digital Resources Survey:
As you go through the Digital Resources Survey questions, you may have some questions of your own. The following information addresses the most frequently asked questions. If you have any other questions, please contact your child’s principal.
General Terms:
- 鈥凄别惫颈肠别鈥� is defined as a computing device, such as a laptop, desktop, Chromebook, iPad, or full-size tablet. 鈥凄别惫颈肠别鈥� for the purposes of this survey, is NOT a phone or mini tablet, nor is it a mobile internet access point, such as a MIFI.
- 鈥凄别诲颈肠补迟别诲鈥� devices are devices that are not shared, where the student is allowed to take the device when they leave the school building to participate in learning outside of school. They are for single student use and are not shared with other students or household members.
- 鈥沦耻蹿蹿颈肠颈别苍迟鈥� access means that the student does not regularly experience issues (slowdowns, buffering, disconnections, unreliable connection, etc.) while participating in required or assigned instruction and learning activities, as measured during peak household usage
- 鈥凌别濒颈补产濒别鈥� access should be judged against the goal of 鈥淎ll the Time鈥� access, as indicated in the National Educational Technology Plan.听 The Plan states the expectation that technology-enabled learning should be available for all students, everywhere, all the time (NETP 2017).
听Question 5: Did the school district issue your child a dedicated school or district owned device for their use during the school year?
- 鈥渊别蝉鈥� means the school district issued the student a dedicated device to use at home.
- 听鈥淣辞鈥� means that the school district has not issued a dedicated device to the student to use at home.
听Question 6: What is the device your child uses most often to complete learning activities away from school? (This can be a school-provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.)
- Choice can be a school-provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.
- DESKTOP听听听听 LAPTOP听听 TABLET听听 CHROMEBOOK听听听 SMARTPHONE听听听听听听 NO DEVICE
Please select a response other than 鈥淣o Device鈥� if you previously responded 鈥渊别蝉鈥� to Question 5.
听Question 7: Who is the provider of the primary learning device identified in question 6? (This can be a school-provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.)
- 鈥沦肠丑辞辞濒鈥� means that the school district provided the device for the student to use.
- 鈥淧别谤蝉辞苍补濒鈥� means that the student uses a device not provided by the school district.
- 鈥淣o Device鈥� means the student does not have a device to use.
You should answer 鈥淣o Device鈥� if you previously responded 鈥淣o Device鈥� to Question 6.
听Question 8: Is the primary learning device (identified in question 6) shared with anyone else in the household?
- 鈥沦丑补谤别诲鈥� means multiple students/people share the device for school or work. This can be a school provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.
- 鈥淣ot Shared鈥� means dedicated to one student. This can be a school provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.
- 鈥淣o Device鈥� means the student does not have a device to use.
You should answer 鈥淣o Device鈥� if you previously responded 鈥淣o Device鈥� to Questions 6.
听Question 9: Is the primary learning device (identified in question 6) sufficient for your child to fully participate in all learning activities away from school?
- 听鈥渊别蝉鈥� means the student has a sufficient device (a computer or computing device such as a laptop, desktop, Chromebook, or full-sized iPad or other tablet), that is able to connect to the internet (even if an internet connection is not always available); has a screen size of at least 9.7鈥�; has a keyboard (on-screen or external) and a mouse, touchscreen, or touchpad; and can run all applications, allowing for full participation in learning without or with very limited issues.
- 鈥淣辞鈥� means that the student does not have a device that meets the criteria above
You should answer 鈥淣辞鈥� if you previously responded 鈥淣o Device鈥� to Questions 6 respectively.
听Question 10: Is your child able to access the internet in their primary place of residence? 听
- 鈥渊别蝉鈥� means the student has internet access in their primary residence where the student typically resides.
- 鈥淣辞鈥� means the student does not have internet access in their primary residence.
Note: If student has multiple residences that share equal time, answer this question according to the residence that has the more limited access.
Question 11: What is the primary type of internet service used in your child鈥檚 primary place of residence?
- 鈥淩esidential Broadband鈥� means听a high-bandwidth connection to the Internet at your home by using a cable (fiber or coaxial) connected to an Internet service provider such as Spectrum, AT+T, Frontier, etc.
- 听鈥淐别濒濒耻濒补谤鈥� means wireless Internet access delivered through cellular towers to computers and other devices.听 Uses your cell phone provider for internet access.
- 鈥淢obile Hotspot鈥� means a wireless access point created by a dedicated hardware device or a smartphone feature that shares the phone’s cellular data. For example, a cellphone or a device like a Kajeet, Verizon Jetpack, Netgear Nighthawk or MiFi.
- 鈥淐ommunity WiFi鈥� means allowing Internet connection to visitors and guests using an existing Wi-Fi infrastructure in the community such as a library, caf茅, hotel, etc.
- 鈥沦补迟别濒濒颈迟别鈥� means a wireless connection through the use of a satellite听dish located on your property.
- 鈥淒ial up鈥� means a service that allows connectivity to the Internet by using a modem and a standard telephone line.
- 鈥凄厂尝鈥� Digital Subscriber Line means a high-speed bandwidth connection from a phone wall jack on an existing telephone network that works within the frequencies so you can use the Internet while making phone calls.
- 鈥淥迟丑别谤鈥� means none of the other choices apply.
- 鈥淣辞苍别鈥� means that you do not have Internet access in your home.听听
Question 12: In their primary residence, can your child complete the full range of learning activities, including video streaming and assignment upload, without interruptions caused by slow or poor internet performance?
- 鈥渊别蝉鈥� means the student experiences very few or no interruptions in learning activities caused by poor internet performance in their primary place of residence.
- 鈥淣辞鈥� means the student regularly experiences interruptions and is unable to complete all learning activities due to poor internet performance in their primary place of residence or lack of internet access.
Question 13: What, if any, is the primary barrier to having sufficient and reliable internet access in your child鈥檚 primary place of residence?
- 听鈥�Availability鈥� means you cannot actually get fiber (or satellite or cell service) at your home.
- 鈥�Cost鈥� means the service available to your neighborhood is cost prohibitive.
- 鈥�None鈥� means that your child has sufficient and reliable access to the internet.
- 鈥�Other鈥� means none of the other choices apply.