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Schools look to get wired
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September 5, 1997: 8:18 p.m. ET
Many students across nation lack access to computers, the Internet
From Correspondent Casey Wian
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LOS ANGELES (CNNfn) - Many students across the nation are just finishing the first week of the 1997-98 school year. And although some students returned to classrooms equipped with the latest technology, most of the nation is behind the high-technology curve.
At Los Angeles' Alexandria Avenue Middle School, students get a chance to use the latest in high-tech tools as they prepare for the 21st Century -- tools that most Americans don't see until they enter college or the workforce.
Students there can scan pictures to create virtual yearbooks, check out a library book electronically and publish pictures taken with digital cameras while on a recent field trip.
Principal Carol Labrow feels the investment in technology has definitely paid off.
"We feel that it's really important for our students because they are entering a world where technology is very important, no matter what career or opportunities they choose," she said.
Students also have access to e-mail and the Internet, which have made for a healthy combination that has third graders like Ana Oganyan excited. (84K WAV) or (84K AIFF)
However, Alexandria is not a typical American school. Only 50 percent of the nation's 2.5 million classrooms actually have access to a computer and only 60 percent of those are linked to the Internet and have multimedia capabilities.
Those lackluster numbers are spurring federal and state officials to beef up technology's role in education.
California ranks 46th in the nation in terms of schools' access to technology. California Gov. Pete Wilson is out to change by spearheading an effort to bring $1 billion in state and local funds to make high school graduates more tech savvy.
"Unfortunately, too many of our high schools in California, not to mention elementary schools, do not afford our students the full opportunity to have access to modern technology that they will need and be called upon to use," he said.
Students won't be the only winners as schools continue their high-tech upgrades. Hardware manufacturers Apple Computer Inc. and IBM Corp. and educational software leaders Broderbund Software Inc., The Learning Company Inc. and Microsoft Corp. will be among the main beneficiaries of an expected $5.2 billion spent nationwide on technology this year.
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