Despite significant gains in high-speed connectivity among schools in the last decade, most schools' broadband access is still not sufficient to accommodate current and future technology needs, according to a report released this month by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA).

High-speed internet access is vital for U.S. education and global competitiveness, and ensuring broadband access for all students has become a critical national issue, SETDA says in its report, titled "High-Speed Broadband Access for All Kids: Breaking Through the Barriers."

Schools need high-speed broadband access to create rigorous, technology-infused learning environments, and students need affordable, high-speed broadband access at home to extend learning opportunities outside the classroom, the reports says. Yet, the connection speeds of schools and homes aren't keeping pace with demands.

Although national statistics boast of 98-percent connectivity among U.S. schools, internet access for many of these schools is often limited and occurs at low speeds. For instance, the report says, "a school is considered 'connected' when it only has one computer dedicated to administrators' use for eMail purposes."

Speed is important, the report says, "because it determines what applications and functionality [are] possible through the internet connection. ...[Insufficient bandwidth] cannot accommodate many technology applications that have been found to save money and improve teacher effectiveness, such as high-definition video conferencing and online learning. The constraints that inadequate broadband connections pose are vast when considering the trend toward online high-stakes testing, database management, school web presence and communication with parents, collaborative research projects, and video streaming."

In fact, the report says, between 2003 and 2008 "the average size of a web page has grown 233 percent, and the number of objects on the average web page has doubled."

"Planning and implementing for this growth is critical for our education system," said Mary Ann Wolf, SETDA's executive director. "We now have data that show how technology makes a significant impact on student achievement in all subject areas and grade levels. ... High-speed broadband [access] is essential to making change happen."

To provide a technology-rich learning environment for the next 2-3 years, SETDA recommends an external connection to the internet service provider of 10 megabits per second (Mbps) for every 1,000 students and staff members, and internal wide-area network connections between schools of at least 100 Mbps per 1,000 students and staff members.

Over the next 5-7 years, the group recommends an external internet connection of 100 Mpbs for every 1,000 students and staff members and internal wide-area network connections of at least 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) per 1,000 students and staff members.