Today's students must learn to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and effective communicators. They must be proficient in 21st century content areas, such as global awareness, financial literacy, and civic literacy. For students to develop the necessary skills to succeed in higher education, join the work force, and become effective citizens, they must have access to the state curriculum and supplemental content enhanced by information and communications technology. Students and teachers must be skilled in using technology to take advantage of, and thrive in, the technology-intensive 21st century.

A superior technology network with reliability, security, scalability and massive bandwidth is critical to the success of both business and educational endeavors. Such a network provides a platform for multiple populations to communicate with each other, generating opportunities for problem solving, creativity and team-building. More importantly, it provides access to digital resources that allow teachers to provide students with current, relevant learning experiences. Providing schools with access to information, resources and learning opportunities makes a connection between Rocky Mount and London, England as simple as a connection between Rocky Mount and Roanoke Rapids.

This report outlines recommendations made jointly by the Business Education Technology Alliance, the School Technology Commission and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee for Information Technology. These recommendations are based on implementing the four essential elements, which are explained on pages 16-43 of this report, to fully incorporate technology into the Public Schools of North Carolina:

• Delivery of 21st Century Curriculum, Instruction, Assessments and Accountability
• Presence of Technology Tools in the Classrooms
• Existence of widely accessible and relevant Personnel and Professional Development
• Pervasive existence of high bandwidth connectivity and scalable networks

A Joint Report on Information Technology
(pdf, 3.5mb)