Digital Equity Survey
Digital Equity Survey
Dear Parents/Guardians:
With the goal of understanding, investigating, and promoting educational equity, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) is requesting that parents/guardians complete a Digital Equity Survey for each student in grades K - 12. This survey will collect information about student access to devices and internet access in their places of residence.
The next step in that process is for you to complete the survey on a Google Form with a few questions about your child's access to devices and internet access at home. The form is available on the district website and the link is in the letter below. The information collected with this survey will support the Hicksville Public Schools to obtain and plan for additional technology devices and opportunities for access.
If you have any questions about this process or would like to share more information about your student's technology access, please contact the Technology Office at the number listed below.
If you need to find your child’s student number, please check in PowerSchool or contact your child’s main office. Please be sure to accurately enter this number in question 4 on the Google Form survey.
To assist us in this process, please answer each question on the Google Form survey by Friday, January 31, 2026.
Thank you for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Daniel L. Friedman
Director of Educational Technology
516-733-2170
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Step by Step Explanations for Parents
The Digital Equity is a requirement of the New York State Department of Education. It seeks to measure out those students and families who may have inadequate or inequitable access to computers and the internet. Parents may use this step by step guide for more information about each question.
The following information may be helpful for parents with a question about the survey questions.
Did the school district issue your child a dedicated school or district-owned device for their use during the school year? The answer for 99% of students should be yes. All students are issued a Chromebook or an iPad (tablet). Even if it is currently out for repair, the answer is yes.
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.). Again, in most cases, the answer will be a Chromebook or iPad (tablet). However, parents can choose any answer they want.
Who is the provider of the primary learning device identified in question 2? (This can be a school-provided device or another device, whichever the student is most often using to complete their schoolwork.). Parents should indicate who owns the device in question 2. Generally, the answer will be the school unless they are using a personal device.
Is the primary learning device (identified in question 2) shared with anyone else in the household? In general, the answer should be Not Shared as all students are issued their own. However, some parents may be using their child’s Chromebook from time to time.
Is the primary learning device (identified in question 2) sufficient for your child to fully participate in all learning activities away from school? This answer is entirely up to the parent.
Is your child able to access the internet in their primary place of residence? Simply, do they have WiFi at home.
What is the primary type of internet service used in your child’s primary place of residence? For the majority of students, the answer will be Residential Broadband. This is Verizon and Altice/Optimum. Some may be using a mobile hot spot or “tethering” to their cell phones.
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? This answer is entirely up to the parent.
What, if any, is the primary barrier to having sufficient and reliable internet access in your child’s primary place of residence? This answer is entirely up to the parent.