The availability and use of educational technology

This First Look report presents data from a fall 2008 district Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) survey on the availability and use of educational technology. This report from the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences includes information on networks and Internet capacity, technology policies, district-provided resources, teacher professional development, and district-level leadership for technology. Findings include:

* Some 92 percent of districts offered access to online district resources to all elementary or all secondary teachers. About 82 percent of schools offered server space for posting web pages or class materials to all teachers.

* Districts had written policies on acceptable student use of email (84 percent), social networking websites (76 percent), wikis and/or blogs (52 percent), and other Internet use (92 percent).

* Of the districts surveyed, 100 percent kept student data in an electronic data system. The percentage of districts that used an electronic system to keep each type of student data asked about in the survey ranged from 80 percent for transportation data to 100 percent for attendance data.

Full report