Technology in Schools

A weighted measure of the percentage of classrooms wired for the Internet, teachers with technology training, and schools with more than 50 percent of teachers having school-based e-mail accounts.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? While the jury is out on exactly how to best integrate technology in the classroom, many believe computers and the Internet can play a key role in improving education. In the meantime, the use of information technology in America’s schools is growing. The percentage of schools with at least one Internet connection has increased rapidly, from 35 percent in 1994 to 78 percent in 1997. The percentage of classrooms with Internet access has gone from 3 percent in 1994, to 27 percent in 1997, to 44 percent in 1998.22

THE RANKINGS: States that are farthest ahead in integrating information technology into schools appear to be less populated and more geographically dispersed, suggesting that a motivating factor is the desire to establish better connections to information and resources in other parts of the nation and the world. Political leaders in those states may recognize that the IT revolution is an important key to their future prosperity and that it is essential to properly train the next generation of workers. Of the top 20 states, only one, Delaware, could be considered to be densely populated. Many of the most densely populated East Coast and Midwest states (including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio) rank near the bottom.

STATES BY RANK
Rank	State	Score
1	Alaska	3.81
2	Washington	3.79
3	Hawaii	3.63
4	Nebraska	3.16
5	Utah	3.00
6	Kentucky	2.97
7	Minnesota	2.92
8	Maine	2.92
9	Oregon	2.82
10	Wyoming	2.75
11	Iowa	2.72
12	Vermont	2.64
13	Colorado	2.61
14	Delaware	2.55
15	North Dakota	2.55
16	Idaho	2.54
17	South Dakota	2.45
18	West Virginia	2.38
19	Montana	2.35
20	Tennessee	2.34
21	Florida	2.23
22	Wisconsin	1.99
23	Indiana	1.94
24	North Carolina	1.93
25	Texas	1.93
26	Virginia	1.88
27	Kansas	1.81
28	Missouri	1.78
29	California	1.76
30	South Carolina	1.75
31	Arkansas	1.67
32	Rhode Island	1.61
33	Arizona	1.60
34	Massachusetts	1.53
35	Georgia	1.51
36	Ohio	1.49
37	New Hampshire	1.42
38	Illinois	1.42
39	Michigan	1.40
40	Maryland	1.38
41	New York	1.36
42	Connecticut	1.31
43	New Jersey	0.99
44	New Mexico	0.96
45	Pennsylvania	0.93
46	Mississippi	0.90
47	Nevada	0.78
48	Alabama	0.75
49	Louisiana	0.68
50	Oklahoma	0.42

	U.S. average	2.00

ALPHABETICALLY
State	Rank	Score
Alabama	48	0.75
Alaska	1	3.81
Arizona	33	1.60
Arkansas	31	1.67
California	29	1.76
Colorado	13	2.61
Connecticut	42	1.31
Delaware	14	2.55
Florida	21	2.23
Georgia	35	1.51
Hawaii	3	3.63
Idaho	16	2.54
Illinois	38	1.42
Indiana	23	1.94
Iowa	11	2.72
Kansas	27	1.81
Kentucky	6	2.97
Louisiana	49	0.68
Maine	8	2.92
Maryland	40	1.38
Massachusetts	34	1.53
Michigan	39	1.40
Minnesota	7	2.92
Mississippi	46	0.90
Missouri	28	1.78
Montana	19	2.35
Nebraska	4	3.16
Nevada	47	0.78
New Hampshire	37	1.42
New Jersey	43	0.99
New Mexico	44	0.96
New York	41	1.36
North Carolina	24	1.93
North Dakota	15	2.55
Ohio	36	1.49
Oklahoma	50	0.42
Oregon	9	2.82
Pennsylvania	45	0.93
Rhode Island	32	1.61
South Carolina	30	1.75
South Dakota	17	2.45
Tennessee	20	2.34
Texas	25	1.93
Utah	5	3.00
Vermont	12	2.64
Virginia	26	1.88
Washington	2	3.79
West Virginia	18	2.38
Wisconsin	22	1.99
Wyoming	10	2.75

Source: Education Week, 1997-1998 data.

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