10 Free or Inexpensive Educational Apps That Could Help Underprivileged Students Close the Racial Achievement Gap

Sushi Monster

Sushi Monster

A 2010 report by The New York Times revealed that only 12 percent of Black boys in the eighth grade were proficient in math compared to more than 40 percent of their white counterparts. A Harvard researcher explained that there are often major “racial differences” in the foundation that Black students have when compared to white students, especially in the area of math. Sushi Monster can help change that by giving Black students exposure to math at an early stage and disguising it as nothing more than a fun game. The free app from Scholastic helps students practice addition and multiplication skills. The app earned an impressive four-star rating after more than 800 users weighed in on the app’s effectiveness. While many parents admitted that the app was challenging, which is essentially the point of the app, they also said they noticed an improvement in their child’s overall understanding of and interest in math.

Science360foriPad

Science360

Getting students interested in science is a major part of the battle to help them excel in the subject. For schools with more sufficient funding, science fairs, field trips and other school-funded activities help get students interested and engaged in science in a way that helps them understand the concepts they learn in the classroom. For underprivileged schools that can’t offer those same experiences, Science360 can be a huge plus. The National Science Foundation’s app makes the most out of fascinating photos, intriguing videos and other digital content to show students just how interesting science can be. With a news feed that updates students on scientific news, they are also able to see their course lessons reflected in real world discussions in the science community.