The 2003 Missouri School District Computing Census
Building Census Report
The 2003 Census of Technology collected data from 2,250 school buildings. The building-level data, like the district data, continue the improvement trends noted over the years. The 2003 Building COT was significantly revised and addresses 26 items, as compared to 44 items asked in 2002. A copy of the survey, completed with aggregate data, is provided in Appendix B.
Technology Planning
A school building long-range technology plan, like a district plan, should provide a road map to help the school implement strategies that promote the district’s mission, advance district and building improvement plans, and improve the teaching and learning occurring in the building. As explained in the District Census Report, and as required by the Title IID Ed Tech Program, the Department developed a new state technology plan in 2002 and new scoring criteria for approving district plans. As such, fewer technology planning items were needed on the 2003 Building Census.
Items 1 asked whether a building has its own technology plan and, if so, whether it is a stand-alone plan or embedded in the district plan. Assuming that building plans should be integrated in a district plan, the item was reworded in 2003 to the “stand alone” plan. Table 10 indicates the percentage of school buildings that have technology plans, the percentage of building plans that can serve as a stand-alone plan, and those included in district plans. Data from 2003 show a continued trend in buildings having technology plans, starting with only 69 percent of buildings having plans in 1998 to 95 percent having plans in 2003.
Table 10
Status of Building Technology Plans, 1998-2003 |
||||||
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
Building has a technology plan |
69% |
83% |
86% |
84% |
85% |
95% |
Plan is part of the district technology plan |
64% |
96% |
97% |
86% |
84% |
94% |
Building has a stand-alone plan |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
6% |
Item 2 asked buildings to identify any business or higher education institution with which they partner to support building technology. While only one in four buildings reported having a technology partner in both 2002 and 2003, this is markedly higher than the six percent reporting partners in 1998. Still, the 2002 figure is lower than the 29-30 percent that was reported consistently between 1999 and 2001. This drop might be due, in part, to worsening economic conditions across the state. Table 11 indicates the type and frequency of building partners reported for 2002 and 2002.
Table 11
School Building Technology Partners, 2002-2003 |
||
Buildings with Partners |
2002 |
2003 |
College/University |
256 |
290 |
Business – Technology Related |
167 |
169 |
Business – Other |
113 |
164 |
Technology Professional Development
While the 2002 Building Census had ten items on training issues, the 2003 COT has three. Item three asked buildings to detail the technology professional development hours being offered to building staff and faculty. In November of 1997, the State Board of Education established policy that requires buildings to allocate amounts equal to 20 percent of state technology grant funds for technology-related training. The policy went into effect for the 1998-1999 school year. The Title IID Ed Tech Program, begun in 2002-2003, requires that 25 percent of formula and/or competitive grant funds be earmarked for professional development.
Table 12 indicates the number of hours of training per training type and trainee and compares the data against last year’s findings and the 1999 baseline data. The data indicate that schools increased their technology-related professional development offerings in 2003 – for all training topics, for both administrators and teachers. The topics with the largest increases since 1999 include curriculum integration for both teachers and administrators and teaching applications (instructional strategies) for teachers. The topics with the largest increase from 2002 to 2003 address curriculum integration and teaching applications for teachers.
Table 12
Education Technology Training Hours Offered, 1999, 2002, and 2003 |
||||||
|
1999 |
2002 |
2003 |
|||
Training Type / Hours |
Administrator |
Teacher |
Administrator |
Teacher |
Administrator |
Teacher |
Introduction to operations |
4.2 |
6.3 |
5.38 |
7.64 |
5.81 |
8.22 |
Using software applications |
9.9 |
16.3 |
10.77 |
14.70 |
11.69 |
16.23 |
Using Internet resources |
5.4 |
9.1 |
6.36 |
9.39 |
6.79 |
10.20 |
Curriculum integration |
4.4 |
8.1 |
7.06 |
10.79 |
8.35 |
13.98 |
Teaching applications |
3.3 |
7.9 |
6.24 |
8.60 |
5.95 |
10.50 |
Using assistive devices |
N/a |
N/a |
2.09 |
2.75 |
2.11 |
2.98 |
Item 3 was revised to also include training opportunities for support services staff. In 2003, support staff could participate in nearly 9 hours of training on using software applications, over 4.5 hours on using the Internet, 4.3 hours on introduction to operations, and 4.1 hours on curriculum integration. In response to item five, building contacts estimated an average of just less than four days (3.99) was offered in 2002-2003 for professional development activities where teachers could learn or upgrade their technology and computer skills.
Item 4 asked building contacts to estimate the technology-related skill levels of principals, teachers, technical staff -- and support services staff beginning in 2003. The skill levels are described as follows:
-
Beginner – basic technical skills including applications such as word-processing, some stand-alone software, and some Internet usage (email).
-
Intermediate – regular use of applications, software, and Internet resources for increased productivity and the use of applications including word-processor for student writing, research on the Internet, computer-generated presentations.
-
Advanced – complete integration and mastery of the technology, using it effortlessly as a tool to accomplish a variety of learning, instructional and/or management tools.
In 2003, approximately one-third (31 percent) of the school support services staff was estimated as having beginner technology skills, one-half (52 percent) as having intermediate skills, and one-sixth (17 percent) as having advanced skills. The proportion of teachers estimated as beginner technology users has steadily decreased from the 40 percent reported in 1999 to the 21 percent reported in 2003. Likewise, the rate of administrators (e.g., principals) estimated as beginners has decreased from 35 percent in 1999 to 10 percent in 2003. Accordingly, the percentages of staff rated to have advanced skills have improved dramatically. The rates of teachers and principals reported as advanced users have nearly doubled from 11 to 21 percent. The group with the highest rate of advanced skills includes technology support staff, at 79 percent.
Figure 13 illustrates the increase in the percentages of teachers, building administrators, and technology staff rated to have advanced technology skills from 1998 through 2003. Not surprising, technical staff have the highest skills. Tailing behind the technical staff are school administrators who just outperform teachers.
Figure 13
Building Faculty/Staff with Advanced Skills, 1998-2003 |
 |
Support services staff was added to this item in 2003, with 17 percent rated as having advanced technology skills. While the lowest rate reported in 2003,the percent of support services staff with advanced skills is at about the same percent of teachers with advanced skills in last year’s COT.
The differences among the user groups are somewhat less marked when looking at combined intermediate and advanced skills, as indicated in Figure 14. Almost all (96 percent) of the technology staffs have intermediate or better skills. Principals are close behind at 90 percent. And, about the same percent of teachers and support services staffs (79 and 69 percent, respectively) have intermediate or advanced technical skills.
Figure 14
Building Faculty/Staff with Intermediate and Advanced Skills, 1998-2003 |
 |
Hardware and Support I
The 2003 Building COT had a total of eight hardware and support items. These were separated into two sections and covered on two screens, with four items per section/screen. The first section dealt with technical support staffing, computer types and quantities by location, operating and reader software, and library automation. The second section looked at equipment access and connectivity by location, quantities of various technologies located in the buildings, and the time to have technical problems/repairs resolved.
Item six asked about the number of estimated FTE available in the buildings that are directly responsible for technical maintenance and support. The item was revised to emphasize building-level staff and to get a more accurate picture of what and who are providing assistance outside of district-level staff. On average, buildings provided .30 technical support staff in 2003. This contrasts with the .63 average noted in 2002 – likely because of the change in the item’s wording.
Table 15 indicates the types of FTE located in or available to the buildings, as reported in 2003. Most commonly, those responsible include district technical staff (true for 50 percent of the buildings), school building teachers or administrators (26 percent of buildings), school support services staff (19 percent of buildings), or outside vendors (18 percent of buildings).
Table 15
Persons and FTE Responsible for Building-Level Technical Support |
||
Staff / Persons Responsible |
Percent Buildings Responding |
FTE |
District staff |
50% |
.32 |
School certificated staff |
26% |
.19 |
School classified staff |
19% |
.25 |
Outside vendors |
18% |
.21 |
Contractors |
5% |
.16 |
Students |
5% |
.08 |
Parents/community members |
2% |
.10 |
Regional centers |
1% |
.05 |
For item seven, data entry documents the number of computers in the buildings, by type and location. Computer “type” clustered machines by platform and speed / capacity. Locations included Computer Labs, specifically designated to computer work; Instructional Rooms, designated as classrooms, and Library/Media Centers, designated for library and media services.
As indicated in Table 16 below, a total of 270,368 building computers was reported in 2003, compared to 232,808 computers reported in 2002. Over 80 percent of the computers are PCs or PC-compatible, with 18 percent being Apple or Mac machines. Over 255,000 (95 percent) of these computers are considered capable of running the Internet at high speeds. [Computers with Pentium speeds is the minimum standard used to identify Internet-capable computers. Prior to 2002, the standard was 486 speeds or higher.] Approximately 90 percent of all computers are located in instructional rooms (computer labs, classrooms, and library media centers), with 92 percent of these machines considered Internet-capable.
The data indicate a subtle shift in the location of computers. Since 1998, about one in three computers was located in a lab setting, ranging from a high of 36 percent in 1998 to a low of 31 percent in 2003. The percentage rate of computers residing in classrooms has increased from 46 percent in 1998 to 51 percent in 2003. The shift is more noticeable when looking at the placement rates of computers within the instructional settings. In 2003, only 35 percent of “instructional” computers were located in labs as compared to 40 percent in 1998. The percent of “instructional” computers in classrooms grew from 51 percent in 1998 to 57 percent in 2003, a twelve percent increase in five years.
Table 16
Numbers, Types, and Location of School Building Computers, 1998-2003* |
||||||
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
Total number of computers |
131,777* |
176,148 |
206,864 |
237,115 |
232,808 |
270,368 |
Located in all Instructional Rooms
|
109,608 90% |
158,908 90% |
187,298 91% |
219,188 92% |
211,382 91% |
242,981 90% |
Located in Classrooms
|
55,607 |
83,238 |
101,278 |
119,450 |
116,832 |
138,672 |
Located in Computer Labs
|
43,427 |
60,815 |
69,319 |
81,057 |
77,373 |
83,897 |
Equipped with Pentium/ equivalent or higher speeds
|
53,570 |
136,165 |
173,774 |
195,826 |
226,127 |
254,908 |
PC or PC-compatible
|
77,231 |
120,888 |
148,473 |
177,916 |
185,901 |
221,285 |
Total Computer statistic for 1998 was adjusted to estimate the entire population.
Figure 17 indicates the ratios of students to computer for 1998 through 2003. [Ratios are determined using the COT data regarding numbers and types of computers and Core Data fall enrollment figures.] As schools purchase new computers, older computers may be relocated within or surplussed out of the district. The numbers of computers in use continue to climb, resulting in a steady decline in the numbers of students per computers. Ratios are declining related to the number of students per high-speed (Internet-capable) computer and Internet-connected computer. The greatest decline relates to Internet-connected computers, as more and more buildings and computers are being connected to the Internet.
Figure 17
Student-to-Computer Ratios, 1998-2003 |
 |
For item 8, building contacts entered the number of computers using specific operating systems and specific versions of Acrobat Reader. Table 18 indicates the operating systems being run by personal computers in 2003. With 82 percent of the computers listed as PC-compatible in Table 16, it is not surprising to find that Windows is the overall predominant operating system being used across the state. Approximately 80 percent of PC machines run on Windows 2000/Me or earlier. Nearly 90 percent of the Apple / Mac computers use OS 9.x or earlier operating software.
Table 18
Operating Systems of Building Computers |
|||
Computer Type / |
Number of |
Percent of all Computers |
Percent within Computer Type |
Windows
|
208,263 |
77% |
94% |
Mac
|
49,368 |
18% |
100% |
Table 19 indicates the availability of Acrobat Reader software in the buildings. As mentioned in the District Census Report, the Department makes extensive use of .pdf files on many of the DESE websites. Data from the table indicate that Apple/Mac computers have Acrobat Reader software at higher rates than the PC machines. PCs that have Acrobat Reader are more likely to have the newer version.
Table 19
Acrobat Reader Software |
|||
Number of |
Percent of all Computers |
Percent within Computer Type |
|
PC Computers
|
|
|
|
Mac
|
|
|
|
Item 9 dealt with automated systems in place in the building library media centers (LMCs). Table 20 lists the systems predominantly used the past two years. While the top three systems remain the same for both 2002 and 2003, the numbers of automated libraries jumped dramatically. Only 237 of the 2250 buildings indicated not having an automated system in 2003.
Table 20
Acrobat Reader Software |
||
Number of LMCs |
||
| Top Library Automation Systems | 2002 | 2003 |
Follet |
153 |
696 |
Winnebago |
133 |
362 |
Athena |
85 |
322 |
Alexandria |
25 |
156 |
Calico |
24 |
53 |
Dynix |
-- |
139 |
Hardware and Support II
To get a sense of what technologies are available to teachers and students, item 10 asked buildings to report the total number of rooms and then the number of rooms equipped with different technology resources. Resources included having telephone access, being wired for Internet, having at least one multimedia computer, having at least one computer with dedicated (high speed) connection to the Internet, and having a complete teacher workstation that includes an Internet-connected computer, a dedicated projection device (LCD panel or some type of video projector) and access to a printer.
Table 21 provides a snap shot of building technologies located in computer labs, instructional rooms, and library media centers (LMCs) for the last two years, 2002 and 2003, compared to the base year of 1999.
Over all, computer labs and LMCs have greater access to education technologies than do the classrooms. One exception involves telephones, with 88 percent of LMCs having phone access in 2003 as compared to 63 percent of labs and 55 percent of classrooms. The other exception pertains to a full suite of classroom equipment, where the computer labs outscored the libraries.
By 2003, 84 percent or higher of all instructional rooms have access to multimedia and Internet-connected computers. The lowest rates of access, not surprisingly, involve having a full suite of technology available. These rates ranged from 21 percent of classrooms, 37 percent of libraries, and 52 percent of labs. Outside of the full technology suite, telephone access rates were the lowest. Compare telephone access rates that ranged from 55 to 88 percent to the high rates of Internet wiring that ranged from 96 percent of classrooms to 98 percent of the labs and LMCs.
Classroom technology data have improved substantially over the years. By 2002, the rate of classrooms wired for Internet matched the percentage of labs wired. By 2003 classrooms approached parity with labs with regards to having at least one multimedia and Internet-connected computer. Still, only about half of the classroom teachers have telephone access and only about one in five have access to a full suite of classroom technologies.
Table 21
Status of Specific School-Building Technologies 1999, 2002, and 2003 |
|||||||||
Computer Labs |
Instructional Rooms |
Library/ Media Centers |
|||||||
1999 |
2002 |
2003 |
1999 |
2002 |
2003 |
1999 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
Total Number of Rooms |
2824 |
3303 |
3723 |
49936 |
55142 |
60248 |
2025 |
2148 |
2319 |
|
Na |
61% |
63% |
Na |
49% |
55% |
Na |
85% |
88% |
|
86% |
96% |
98% |
74% |
96% |
96% |
75% |
93% |
98% |
|
77% |
91% |
93% |
52% |
85% |
88% |
75% |
88% |
90% |
|
72% |
86% |
91% |
46% |
79% |
85% |
68% |
84% |
89% |
|
43% |
43% |
52% |
13% |
18% |
21% |
32% |
27% |
37% |
Of all the computers located in the labs, instructional rooms, and LMCs in 2003, 211,124 are multimedia equipped and 222,522 are connected to the Internet. These figures compare favorably to the 190,000 multimedia computers and 205,000 Internet-connected computers noted last year. If statistics for all of the buildings were relative, each classroom in 2003 had just 1.99 multimedia and 2.01 Internet-connected computers. The computer labs averaged 21.2 Internet-connected computers and 19.9 multimedia computers; libraries averaged 7.4 multimedia and 7.9 Internet-connected computers.
Item 12 asked buildings to report the numbers of a variety of other technology-related equipment located in the schools. Table 22 lists these technologies according to data collected in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Note that the 2003 statistics most generally exceed the 2001 and 2002 statistics, especially for the newer, emerging technologies (e.g., digital cameras/recorders, digitizers, digital satellite receivers, interactive whiteboards, video/multimedia distribution systems).
Table 22
Building Technologies, 2001 - 2003 |
|||
Technology Unit |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
Alpha Smart/Laptop Processors |
6,311 |
7,110 |
9,458 |
Assistive/Adaptive Devices |
2,978 |
1,095 |
1,493 |
Cable TV |
13,991 |
17,234 |
24,972 |
CD-ROM Network |
35,573 |
26,838 |
26,245 |
Computer Projection Devices |
7,773 |
9,819 |
11,189 |
Digital Camcorders |
Na |
Na |
1,164 |
Digital Cameras |
3,940 |
5,205 |
6,528 |
Dot Matrix Printers |
12,404 |
6,196 |
|
|
Na |
NA |
4,667 |
|
Na |
NA |
336 |
Fax Machines |
2,351 |
2,775 |
2,833 |
Graphing Calculators |
27,279 |
24,244 |
25,895 |
Inkjet Printers |
43,326 |
41,619 |
|
|
Na |
Na |
14,431 |
|
Na |
Na |
35,101 |
Interactive Television |
689 |
1,240 |
1,638 |
Interactive Whiteboards |
1,027 |
1,989 |
3,102 |
Laser Printers |
12,288 |
14,560 |
13,244 |
|
Na |
Na |
4,060 |
Laserdisc Players/DVD |
5,680 |
5,849 |
7,484 |
Multimedia Distribution Systems |
311 |
963 |
1,151 |
Personal Digital Assistants |
250 |
925 |
Na |
Probeware |
1,405 |
1,121 |
1,210 |
Satellite Receivers |
454 |
864 |
1,289 |
Scanners/Digitizers |
5,133 |
5,848 |
6,957 |
Scientific Calculators |
24,385 |
21,494 |
24,165 |
Total Color Printers |
34,293 |
35,849 |
39,497 |
TV Monitors |
41,683 |
42,032 |
45,270 |
VCR Units |
37,701 |
36,084 |
40,760 |
Number 13, a new item added in 2003, dealt with technology maintenance and repair. About two-thirds of the building respondents indicated that it took one to three working days to resolve technical problems/repairs, while one-fourth responded that it took four to six working days.
Internet Connectivity / Distance Learning
This section of the COT deals with interconnectivity issues. Items 14 through 21 addressed building Internet connectivity, local- and wide-area networking, distance learning technologies, and polices regarding Internet use and filtering software.
Table 23 profiles the data reported since 1999 regarding Internet access. Except for data reported in 2001, an increasing percentage of school buildings have access to the Internet through a dedicated, direct connection. Over 1,700 buildings reported having a T1 line in 2003, while another 152 buildings reported connecting to the Internet at higher speeds (via 10-45 mb, OC1 or greater, digital cable, or satellite).
Table 23
Building Internet Access, 1999-2003 |
|||||
Buildings that report having: |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
95% |
97% |
79% |
97% |
98.5% |
|
Na |
1,386 |
1,390 |
1,621 |
1,759 |
Items 15 and 16 asked about operating systems used by and the services run on the building servers. As was found in 2002, Novell was the predominant operating system used in 2003, running on 930 servers, followed by Windows NT (479), Windows 2000 (320), Linux (236), and Apple share (229). Filtering (1,424) and email (1,328) are the two most common services run on the servers, followed by web hosting (1,117), firewall (792), proxy (666), and FTP (481). The most commonly used email software program used in 2003 included Groupwise (531), Eudora (184), Microsoft Exchange (127) and Mercury (123).
Items 18 and 19 dealt with networking issues. In 2003, building respondents estimated that 99 percent of the computers are connected to school building local area networks (LAN). Over 80 percent of the school buildings are connected to the administrative office and other buildings in the district through wide area networks (WAN).
Item 20 addressed the distance learning technologies available at the building level. The most commonly used systems in 2003 included cable television (1,371 buildings), desktop/IP technologies (1,107), and satellite programming (642). Less commonly used were interactive television (390 buildings) and compressed video (114).
Item 21 identified the Internet filtering solutions buildings used in 2003. All but 85 buildings (3.7 percent) indicated they used at least one software program. The most frequently used solutions were Cyber Patrol/ Surf Control (491 buildings), Sonic Wall (342), Border Manager (224), WebSense (217), Screen Door (201), and X-Stop/8e6 (179)
Technology Usage
The remaining Building COT items, 22 through 26, addressed how building faculty, staff, and students use the education technologies available and how technology is used to inform and communicate with others. Emphasis was placed on “routine” use, which is described as being used or implemented at least three times per week.
After a noticeable dip in 2001, technology usage data rebounded substantially in 2002 and further increased in 2003. As Tables 24, 25, and 26 indicate, technology usage data are the highest ever reported -- for almost every category and user type. The third cycle of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP), which began in 2001-2002, started requiring districts to report these and similar data. Likewise, the updated (and much more rigorous) scoring guide used for state approval of district technology plans went into effect in 2002. Both of these accountability measures factor in the analysis.
Table 24 details technology usage for school building principals, in terms of the technologies they routinely use and the functions for which they use technology. As the data tables show, principals are heavy users of email and the Web. Over one-third of principals routinely use educational software, while less than a fourth routinely use online resources – which is easily explained, as they do not typically carry a teaching load. Likewise, principals are more apt to use technology for research, writing, email, and student data manipulation than for curriculum and instruction. Areas where principals showed the greatest increase from 2002 to 2003 include the use of technology to track student performance, manage student records, conduct research, and assess student performance.
Table 24
Routine Use of Technology by Building Principals, 1999-2003 |
|||||
Principals who Routinely Use the Following Resources: |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
37% |
39% |
34% |
36% |
41% |
|
77% |
85% |
74% |
92% |
97% |
|
69% |
78% |
71% |
86% |
94% |
|
21% |
25% |
24% |
24% |
27% |
|
21% |
22 |
22% |
19% |
20% |
|
Na |
Na |
Na |
23% |
26% |
Principals who Routinely Use Technology for the Following Functions: |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
26% |
29% |
31% |
43% |
46% |
|
65% |
68% |
56% |
67% |
73% |
|
57% |
62% |
58% |
69% |
79% |
|
53% |
58% |
48% |
63% |
73% |
|
8% |
9% |
13% |
14% |
16% |
|
61% |
66% |
60% |
71% |
81% |
|
49% |
54% |
56% |
67% |
78% |
|
Na |
Na |
Na |
58% |
67% |
|
Na |
Na |
Na |
Na |
79% |
|
13% |
18% |
21% |
28% |
37% |
|
Na |
Na |
Na |
Na |
4% |
Table 25 illustrates routine teacher use of technology. In terms of the technology resources being used, nearly 90 percent of teachers routinely use email and Web resources. While over 75 percent of teachers routinely use educational software, less than half use online encyclopedia, databases, or electronic library catalog. As to reasons for using technology, over 75 percent of teachers typically use technology for writing, 74 percent for research information collection, 69 percent for keeping track of student performance, and 64 percent to assess student performance, manage student records, or prepare lesson plans. Areas where teachers show the greatest increases in routine use, from 2002 to 2003, include the use of technology to assess student performance, track student performance, deliver/present instruction, and conduct research. Interestingly, many of these were areas of greatest increases for building administrators/ principals as well.
Table 25
Routine Use of Technology by Building Teachers, 1999-2003 |
|||||
Teachers who Routinely Use the Following Resources: |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
69% |
72% |
59% |
71% |
76% |