Utah Education Network and Connected Nation Release the 2024 Utah School Technology Report

New report emphasizes why technology is a critical tool in all Utah public and charter schools

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected Nation (CN) has partnered with Utah Education Network (UEN) to release the fifth iteration of the Utah School Technology Inventory, a statewide report that compiles critical data about technology usage and gaps in UEN schools. The national nonprofit has collaborated with UEN for nearly a decade to track how technology is used in Utah's school districts and charter schools, and the access teachers and students have to digital materials, devices and platforms. The inventory once again had a 100% participation rate.

"Starting in 2015 through 2023, UEN's partnership with Connected Nation has conducted these inventories in the fall every other year," said UEN Senior Project Manager Cory Stokes. "Completing these inventories helps leaders at the state, district and school levels make better decisions based on data to improve, enhance and support technology in education."

UEN chose the nonprofit to develop the data collection portal and lead the inventory effort. They collected more than 82,600 data points, representing 1,034 schools across Utah. The final report provides a comprehensive summary of the Utah school system and an overview page for every school district and charter school in the state.

"School districts use these reports to determine how they are currently using technology funds to support their students and teachers," said Stokes. "The data provides and accounts for how technology is supporting and helping to meet the needs of students and teachers in public education."

The inventory found that, statewide, 7 out of 10 schools (70%) report that they deploy mobile learning devices such as laptop or tablet computers to students on a 1:1 basis. 

Other key findings include:

• Device-to-student ratio increased since 2015 but remain the same between the 2021 and 2023.
• Google Chromebooks remain the most popular computing device for students, with schools reporting that more than 594,000 Chromebooks are made available to students statewide.
• Nearly 2 out of 5 Utah schools (38%) offer mobile learning devices on a 1:1 basis and allow students to take those devices home, maintaining a similar rate from 2021 (39%).

"UEN's focus has always been to provide equitable network services and resources to all students in Utah, regardless of where they live, how they participate in school and how they most effectively learn," said Stokes. "This was all made possible through the School Technology Inventory report." 

Read the 2023 Utah School Technology Inventory Report.

About the Utah Education Network: UEN is part of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), which connects all Utah school districts, schools, and higher education institutions to a robust network and quality educational resources. UEN is one of the nation's premier education networks.

About Connected Nation: The national nonprofit's mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access, adoption and use of high-speed internet and its related technology to all people. They work with consumers, local community leaders, states, technology providers and foundations to develop and implement technology expansion programs with core competencies centered on a mission to improve digital inclusion for people and places previously underserved or overlooked. For more information, please visit connectednation.org.

SOURCE CONNECTED NATION, INC.