Report Grades States on Education Technology – How does yours rank?

Education Week releases Technology Counts 2005, an annual survey of state use of technology in education. In addition to the 50-state survey, this year’s edition includes a focus on state data systems and how these systems are measuring up to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

The report also ranks states on three key areas of school technology: access, use, and capacity.

Highlights from the report include:

* Technology investments have shifted. Education Week’s survey of states reveals that 15 states find NCLB influencing their decisions to establish more powerful and sophisticated data systems. Sixteen states report that data management is one of their top two priorities for technology spending.

* Funding remains a challenge. State technology directors in 44 states say inadequate funding or competition from other priorities are the biggest challenges in trying to pay for K-12 technology. Of these states, 16 report that cuts in federal aid pose a great challenge, while 14 cite a lack of state money. State technology directors in 10 states cited a lack of sustained funding as another key challenge.

* Access, use, and capacity varies from state to state. Education Week ranked states on a range of indicators including computer to student ratio, technology standards, testing students’ technology skills, establishing a virtual school, and offering computer-based assessments.

Related Links:

* Technology Counts 2005 (Reg. Req.) http://www.edweek.org/tc05

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