Chapter 9: Funding Education Technology Versus Bricks and Mortar: Can We Have It All?

Unlike many other categories of educational expenditure, little systematic data exist for unmet funding needs in education technology. Yet education technology, along with the physical environment of schools, represents a critical area of school modernization necessary so that children may learn in safe, healthy schools with access to the resources that will maximize their success. This chapter explores the potential competition between school infrastructure and education technology for limited educational resources at a time when there are increasing demands being placed upon public education. Given that both education technology and school infrastructure suffer from underfunding, competition and duplication are serious issues.