Students in Broward County‘s public schools may be graduating without the digital know-how they need to succeed in college and the workforce.
While the state is demanding a major technology overhaul, Broward is lagging far behind. By 2014, Florida’s online testing will require one computer with a specific processing speed for every two students. But Broward has one such computer for every eight students.
“How can we expect our students to be globally competitive when we’re sitting them in desks and putting one textbook in their hands?” asked Marie Wright, director of core curriculum for the school district. “Our schools, unfortunately, still look very much like they did in the 70s.”
District officials blame a lack of money to get the new equipment. They worry their students will fall behind as neighboring counties like Miami-Dade begin a $63 million initiative to pair each student with a digital device. In Palm Beach, there’s one computer for every three students.
“We need to be able to offer students the same level as you would get in other public school systems,” said School Board chairwoman Laurie Rich Levinson.
