Schools’ ed-tech budgets shrink as demand grows

While educators and parents continue to report a growing need for technology use in education and learning, schools are struggling to meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s expectations, according to “From Chalkboards to Tablets: The Digital Conversion of the K-12 Classroom,” the latest report from the Speak Up 2012 survey, released on April 19. Given the budget realities – with 74 percent of respondents reporting that they have smaller technology budgets than they had five years ago – administrators are re-thinking their opposition to the “bring your own device” approach and districts who are piloting such a program increased by 47 percent in just one year.