Add as a preferred source on Google

Can Schools Increase Internet Connectivity?

  • By Chad Stevens
  • 12/01/15

Thanks to e-rate, 99 percent of our public K-12 schools and libraries are now connected to the Internet. The next step is bringing connectivity to the classroom level to support modern learning.

The majority of U.S. schools do not have enough bandwidth to meet the current needs for digital learning. As 1:1 learning models, online classes and digital content proliferate, the technology foundation needed to support them will become more critical. “Network days” may become the new “snow days” for the next generation of students. When networks fail, learning is disrupted, resulting in lost classroom time.

We recently surveyed K-12 IT professionals to get a better understanding of classroom connectivity and build the K-12 Connected Heat Map, showing the prevalence of wired and wireless connectivity state-by-state.

Enabling classroom connectivity is an involved process. Security is a critical requirement. A next-generation firewall serves as a first line of defense, providing application control and a consolidated filtering approach. Web URL filtering allows schools to enforce security policies. It also allows educators to have safe access to the applications needed to improve student outcomes.

Behind the firewall, the router manages the school’s bandwidth, Internet service provider and type of Internet connection. The core switch acts as the brains of the operation — serving as the internal routing function and handling traffic passing between the user access network and everything else.

Access points sit in the classroom to handle data; as the number of classroom devices grows, so should the number of access points. Finally, managed services can layer on top of the network to ensure a load-balanced classroom, allowing for ubiquitous access to the Internet.

These cohesive network components provide a solid infrastructure that helps schools avoid “network days”.

Visit www.k12heatmap.com to check out your state’s K-12 connectivity.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Dr. Chad Stevens is the Chief Education Strategist with CDW-G.

Featured

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition