MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR EDUCATION

	WHERE DO WE STAND NOW? A Progress Report on Technology Resources in Maryland Schools Executive Summary
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Improving access to technology for students and teachers is a critical part of school reform in Maryland.  The 1995 Maryland Plan for Technology in Education set forth a vision and a strategy for strengthening technology in the schools.  In 1995, the Maryland Department of Education conducted a statewide inventory of technology resources.   Its findings, along with the overall status of the Maryland Plan, were included in a 1997 Maryland Business Roundtable report entitled Where Do We Stand?   Later in 1997, the state conducted a follow-up inventory to measure progress.   The results, and their meaning, are the subject of this report.

The 1997 inventory showed that Maryland has made encouraging and significant progress since 1995 in improving its student-to-computer ratio and access to the Internet, both of which are better than the national figures.  Older, "low-capacity" computers now make up a small percentage of the total, and computer networks are available to more schools.  The vast majority of schools have TV reception.  Teachers are familiar with the most common software programs, and much-needed technical support personnel are being hired.  Funding for technology continues to be strong.

Major challenges, however, remain.  The concentration of "low-capacity" computers is highest in instructional areas, where it directly limits students and teachers in the classroom.  Upgrades must be made.  Similarly, classrooms suffer a lack of network access; sufficient wiring to all instructional areas in schools is needed.  Improving access to technology in high poverty schools must be a priority.   Many teachers are still unfamiliar with the Internet and uncomfortable using technology in the classroom; more training is needed.  Hiring of technology support staff must also increase with the inevitable growth of the need.  Finally, we suggest that the state-funded program be accelerated and extended to include 528 schools -- in addition to the 700 originally proposed -- by the year 2003.

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Copyright © 1998 Maryland Business Roundtable for Education
Last modified: January 26, 2001