But when it comes to computers that are connected to the Internet, inequities reappear. The poorest of schools have an average of one Internet-connected computer for every 17 students, while the wealthiest provide one for every 10 students. The digital divide is even more pronounced in students' homes. No one seems to agree on a single goal at this point. And with advances in technology occurring at a faster clip than ever, such a goal would never stay put for very long anyway.
Most experts do agree that access to technology still creates barriers for too many schools.
Nobody would ever think to share a single textbook among 30 students, and we still have classrooms where we're lucky if there's more than a single computer in the classroom. In fact, teachers feel less prepared to integrate technology into their teaching than to handle many other professional demands, such as incorporating new academic standards or assessment techniques. That could spell trouble for school officials who hope to use technology to boost achievement. Indeed, last year's Technology Counts reported that training had a major impact on whether teachers used computers in ways that helped to increase students' math performance. And a new survey conducted by Education Week this past spring shows that teachers who received more technology training over the past year are more likely to use software and Web sites for instruction.