Today, global education and workforce technology venture capital firm EduLab Capital Partners announced that the Success Through Technology Education (STTE) Foundation's LatinX EdTech Summit 2023 will take place on June 16, in El Paso, Texas.

The goal of the summit is to convene innovative edtech companies, teachers, and leaders in education to develop digital ways to support learning and teaching, ensuring that all educators are equal on a technical level.

During the pandemic the education industry was disrupted, with Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities taking a larger blow than other communities.

According to a McKinsey & Co. study, while remote learning was able to bridge some learning gaps, many Black and Hispanic students fell behind their White peers. On average, White students were one to three months behind on their studies, while students of color fell to three to five.

Despite advancements made in remote learning, many students of color were without resources such as electronic devices to access classes, internet at home, or even live interaction with teachers.

This divide comes from both the many advances in technology made within the education system, and the lack of uniformity in their use as many underserved Latino communities have not received such educational resources.

“EdTech  is continuing to revolutionize the way we learn, work, and live,” said Executive Director of the STTE Foundation Joseph Sapien, who is also the co-founder, organizer, and co-sponsor of the event. 

“As this rapid transformation continues, education leaders must embrace innovative approaches to ensure that all students in Hispanic populations are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in the future,” he continued.

Delivering the summit's keynote address will be Dr. Maria Armstrong, Ed.D., the executive director of the summit's co-sponsor Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS).

The summit will be comprised of four events:

The teacher awards, a demonstration of how education and future learning experiences intersect, featuring holographic models of best educators.

Working lunches that allow for educators, edtech companies, administrators, parents, and members of the local community to develop short and long-term solutions for closing the digital divide.

Action panels, featuring five panel discussions among edtech company founders, education superintendents, higher education presidents, and other leaders.

The 2nd Annual ECMC Foundation "Pipeline Pitch" where edtech entrepreneurs will pitch their solutions to K-12 and higher education leaders.

“As edtech progresses at a great pace, many of the homes in our community continue to experience obstacles such as the lack of broadband access or access to edtech in Spanish,” said Dr. Veronica Vijil, superintendent of Fabens Independent School District. 

“We look forward to participating in the LatinX EdTech Summit once again to gain insight into solutions that may benefit the learning community of Fabens ISD. We are grateful to STTE for this opportunity and their immense support,” she continued.

While the worst-case scenarios for education have been averted, the damage done could have long lasting repercussions on student academics for years to come, especially with many Hispanic students to remain remote learners.

The summit will be open to the public with an admission fee. More information about the event and how to register can be found on the STTE Foundation website.