Thanks to E-Rate, 99 percent of America’s K-12 public schools and libraries are connected to the Internet. The majority of U.S. schools, however, do not have enough bandwidth to meet the current needs for digital learning. As 1:1 learning models, online classes and digital content continue to proliferate, the technology foundation needed to support them – down to the classroom level – will become even more critical. To better understand the current state of classroom connectivity, CDW-G surveyed 400 IT professionals from K-12 public school districts and private schools to build the CDW-G K-12 Connected Heat Map. The Heat Map shows the current availability of wired and wireless connectivity in classrooms state-by-state. The survey also found that a majority of schools have an average connectivity speed of 1 Gbps and fewer than a quarter have connectivity speed of 10 Gbps. Over the next three years, schools indicated a focus on increasing bandwidth, budget and number of access points to better support wireless connectivity. On the wired connectivity side, increasing bandwidth, improving network management and increasing budgets to support activities are the top priorities. Currently, Maine and Nebraska are leading the charge with the most connected classrooms. To help tell the complete story, CDW-G needs input from schools and districts nationwide. Check out www.k12heatmap.com to ensure your state is represented and to see how the connectivity picture changes over time.
