Florida STaR Survey

In the Fall of 2003, over 2,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in Florida responded to the STaR Survey. The STaR Survey is a comprehensive inventory of technology readiness. The following items from the 2003 STaR Survey relate to topics covered in this report.

Instructional Areas and Labs

Number of classrooms: 130,024
Number of media centers: 2,755
Number of computer labs serving general education: 4,739
Number of computer labs serving special education: 1,405
Number of computer labs serving vocational education: 2,443
Number of mobile labs: 1,397

Teacher Workstations

Number of modern teacher workstations: 143,985
Number of modern teacher workstations that are mobile: 30,489

Students Assigned Modern Computers

Does your school provide individual students with a modern computer for their exclusive use while at school?

Yes	255 schools	(10.14% )
No	2259 schools	(89.86% )

How many students have been provided a modern computer for their exclusive use while at school?

33,128

Are students allowed to take their assigned computer home?

Yes	85 schools	(33.33%)
No	170 schools	(66.67%)

Internet Connection

Most common Internet connection:
73% T1
12% Fibered, wired, connected to another district location

63% of schools reported that 100% of their instructional areas have direct connectivity to the Internet
85% of schools reported that their Internet connection is either dependable or very dependable

Digital Devices

(% of schools that have at least one of the following devices)

99% of schools have VCRs
97% of schools have projection devices
95% of schools have scanners
94% of schools have digital still cameras
80% of schools have digital video (or video/still combination) cameras
58% of schools have hand-held devices
58% of schools have DVD players
42% of schools have dedicated, portable word processors
26% of schools have graphing calculators (other than software-based)
11% of schools have digital probes

Professional Development

What percentage of the money spent on technology for your school is devoted to professional development in technology-related training?

Average amount spent was: 14%

25% of the schools devoted 0% of the technology budget to PD
60% of the schools devoted 10% or less of the technology budget to PD
88% of the schools devoted 25% or less of the technology budget to PD

Student Software Use

Which phrase best characterizes the primary way in which students at your school use technology in their class work?

58%	Testing and practicing for skill mastery in core curriculum areas
35%	Researching and presenting by individual students on a variety of topics in several subject areas
4%	Collaborating to propose, assess, and implement solutions to real-world problems
2%	Working with other students to analyze data and evaluate information
1%	Students do not use technology in their class work

Approach to Technology Use

Which of the following is the most common approach to technology use in your school?
Technology is most commonly used as a

48%	supplement to instruction (e.g. programs or games used for skill practice).
22%	tool for providing instruction (e.g. integrated learning system)
15%	tool integrated into core curriculum areas (e.g. word processors, spreadsheets, probes, etc.)
9%	tool embedded in daily instruction for all curriculum areas (e.g. word processors, spreadsheets, probes, etc.)
6%	method for delivery of instruction (e.g. lectures with PowerPoint, etc.)

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