Page 18 - THE Journal, March/April 2019

OPAEDNVOSCOAUCRYCE
J K o e h i n t h K K . Wr u a e t g e e r s r
What’s the State of Infrastructure in Schools – and Why It Matters to You
EVERY DAY, WE FACE a world that’s more complicated and complex. School systems are no exception. As an ed tech leader, you often have to weigh the opportunities to enhance student learning experiences with the limited resources
that are available.
For the last six years, CoSN has conducted a survey of U.S. K-12 district lead-
ers that assesses connectivity in school systems. Initially framed around E-rate and broadband needs, the survey was expanded to include broader, timely questions about school infrastructure — year-to-year gains, challenges and opportunities.
This year’s survey report captured responses from nearly 400 districts of all sizes and backgrounds nationwide, delivering an in-depth resource to help ed tech leaders spur conver- sations with policymakers and decision-makers on key school infrastructure issues.
Top Five Findings and Implications from CoSN’s Report
1. Good News: WiFi @ School
Thanks to the E-rate modernization, which provides funding for WiFi and internal school network connections, tremendous progress has been made over the last three years. Districts’ confidence in their wireless networks to support at least one device per student is increas- ing. A large majority (69 percent) of respondents report they are “very confident” in their network’s ability to support one or more devices per student as compared to the prior year’s 58 percent.
Why does this matter? Student devices are an increasingly important component of learning, and networks must be able to support their use.
18 | MARCH/APRIL 2019
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