Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: Fall 2008
Ω
This First Look report presents data from a fall 2008 Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) survey of public schools on the availability and use of educational technology. This includes information on computer hardware and Internet access, availability of staff to help integrate technology into instruction and provide timely technical support, and perceptions of educational technology issues at the school and district level. It follows a series of school level surveys dating back to 1994; the 2008 surveys also included one conducted at the district level and another asked of teachers.
Findings from the survey of schools include:
* An estimated 100 percent of public schools had one or more instructional computers with Internet access. The ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access was 3.1 to 1. All public schools reported having one or more instructional computers with Internet access. Nearly all-97 percent -- had one or more instructional
This First Look report presents data from a fall 2008 Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) survey of public schools on the availability and use of educational technology. This includes information on computer hardware and Internet access, availability of staff to help integrate technology into instruction and provide timely technical support, and perceptions of educational technology issues at the school and district level. It follows a series of school level surveys dating back to 1994; the 2008 surveys also included one conducted at the district level and another asked of teachers.
Findings from the survey of schools include:
* An estimated 100 percent of public schools had one or more instructional computers with Internet access. The ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access was 3.1 to 1. All public schools reported having one or more instructional computers with Internet access. Nearly all-97 percent -- had one or more instructional
MANY CHARTER SCHOOLS LACK THE AUTONOMY NEEDED TO SUCCEED
Ω
Like a boxer with one hand tied behind his back, far too many U.S. charter schools lack the freedom they need to succeed, according to a new report released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
“There has been much focus on whether charters are producing results,” said Fordham President Chester E. Finn, Jr., “but no one has really taken a good hard look at whether charters are being granted the freedom they were promised to deliver the academic outcomes America wants from them.”
Conducted by Public Impact, Charter School Autonomy: A Half-broken Promise scanned the nation to find out just how autonomous charter schools really are in key domains. Analysts examined charter laws in 26 states as well as school contracts from 50 of the country’s most active authorizers (which collectively oversee nearly half of U.S. charter schools).
The study found that a number of states—e.g. Maryland, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Tennessee—burden their
Like a boxer with one hand tied behind his back, far too many U.S. charter schools lack the freedom they need to succeed, according to a new report released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
“There has been much focus on whether charters are producing results,” said Fordham President Chester E. Finn, Jr., “but no one has really taken a good hard look at whether charters are being granted the freedom they were promised to deliver the academic outcomes America wants from them.”
Conducted by Public Impact, Charter School Autonomy: A Half-broken Promise scanned the nation to find out just how autonomous charter schools really are in key domains. Analysts examined charter laws in 26 states as well as school contracts from 50 of the country’s most active authorizers (which collectively oversee nearly half of U.S. charter schools).
The study found that a number of states—e.g. Maryland, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Tennessee—burden their