Technology in schools affects students worldwide, but its impact depends on connectivity, devices, and learning conditions beyond the classroom. When access is limited—such as 1.09 billion people offline in 2021 and 31% of students in low-income countries reporting no home internet—opportunities to use digital materials shrink. This page explores how learning platforms, teacher practices, and policy support can narrow gaps and improve outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- 1.7 billion students were enrolled in primary and secondary education globally in 2019, indicating the scale of technology-enabled learning needs
- 37% of the world’s learners were unable to access remote learning during school closures in spring 2020, highlighting the digital access gap schools faced
- 10.4% of the global population used the internet in 2010 compared with 53.6% in 2019, showing rapid baseline growth relevant to school connectivity
- 33% of students globally are estimated to have limited or no access to learning technologies at home, contributing to inequity in digital learning
- 1.09 billion people worldwide were offline in 2021, affecting students’ ability to engage with online schooling materials
- 31% of students in low-income countries reported not having internet access at home in a 2020 survey of education ministries and partners summarized by UNICEF
- US$122 million was awarded to education technology and broadband efforts under the FCC’s E-rate Modernization Order impacts (2020-2021), reflecting program funding levels
- School districts reported that 1:1 device programs increased the likelihood of students completing assignments by 10 percentage points in a study summarized by the RAND Corporation
- A meta-analysis found that computer-assisted instruction produced an average improvement equivalent to 0.20 standard deviations in learning outcomes
- In the 2019 PISA assessment, 21% of students were at or above the baseline proficiency level in digital reading, affecting how well students can benefit from technology-enabled texts
- 69% of schools in OECD countries reported having a learning management system (LMS) or similar platform available for students in 2018 (OECD TALIS education data)
- In the U.S., 81% of public schools reported having broadband internet access in 2022 (NCES)
- The global education technology market was $227.0 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $398.3 billion by 2027, per a market forecast by Fortune Business Insights
- The global smart classroom market was valued at $9.1 billion in 2022 and forecast to reach $33.5 billion by 2032, indicating rapid growth in classroom tech systems
- In the U.S., the FCC reports that 2023 E-Rate discounts covered millions of school and library connections, supporting continued expansion of connected learning
With connectivity and devices still uneven, smart use of learning technology can measurably boost student achievement.
Related reading
01 · Category
Instructional Technology Adoption6 stats
01
In the 2019 PISA assessment, 21% of students were at or above the baseline proficiency level in digital reading, affecting how well students can benefit from technology-enabled texts
02
69% of schools in OECD countries reported having a learning management system (LMS) or similar platform available for students in 2018 (OECD TALIS education data)
03
In the U.S., 81% of public schools reported having broadband internet access in 2022 (NCES)
04
In the U.S., 93% of public schools had computers available for instructional use in 2022 (NCES)
05
Data from the OECD shows that 89% of students used the internet at least once a week for school-related purposes in many participating countries, reflecting near-universal access for active learners
06
Worldwide, 4 in 5 teachers (80%) reported using digital technologies for teaching in 2021 in a UNESCO-commissioned teacher survey
Interpretation
Instructional Technology Adoption Interpretation
With broadband and computers widely in place and digital tools becoming routine, the instructional technology adoption picture is strong, as 81% of US public schools have broadband and 93% have computers for instructional use while about 80% of teachers report using digital technologies for teaching.
02 · Category
Global Enrollment4 stats
01
1.7 billion students were enrolled in primary and secondary education globally in 2019, indicating the scale of technology-enabled learning needs
02
37% of the world’s learners were unable to access remote learning during school closures in spring 2020, highlighting the digital access gap schools faced
03
10.4% of the global population used the internet in 2010 compared with 53.6% in 2019, showing rapid baseline growth relevant to school connectivity
04
24% of 15-year-olds reported that they had access to a quiet place at home to study in 2018, underscoring non-device home learning conditions
Interpretation
Global Enrollment Interpretation
With 1.7 billion students enrolled globally in primary and secondary education in 2019, the category’s scale is clear, but the gap is just as striking since 37% of learners could not access remote learning during spring 2020 closures.
03 · Category
Industry Trends4 stats
01
The global education technology market was $227.0 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $398.3 billion by 2027, per a market forecast by Fortune Business Insights
02
The global smart classroom market was valued at $9.1 billion in 2022 and forecast to reach $33.5 billion by 2032, indicating rapid growth in classroom tech systems
03
In the U.S., the FCC reports that 2023 E-Rate discounts covered millions of school and library connections, supporting continued expansion of connected learning
04
In 2022, the global market for learning management systems (LMS) was $18.3 billion and projected to exceed $38 billion by 2030, according to a MarketsandMarkets forecast
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends in education technology show strong momentum, with the global education tech market rising from $227.0 billion in 2021 to a projected $398.3 billion by 2027 and the LMS market expected to more than double from $18.3 billion in 2022 to over $38 billion by 2030.
More related reading
04 · Category
Pedagogy & Outcomes4 stats
01
65% of teachers in participating education systems reported that digital tools were essential for delivering instruction during remote learning periods, based on a survey synthesis by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (EASNIE).
02
71% of students in a 2020 meta-review of learning platforms showed improved outcomes when teachers used learning-management functions effectively, reported in a SAGE open peer-reviewed synthesis.
03
6 percentage-point improvement in reading outcomes was associated with structured use of educational technology in a randomized controlled trial published in 2019 in the journal Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis.
04
In 2022, 57% of surveyed educators reported that classroom learning tools improved student engagement, according to a peer-reviewed study in Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence (editorial summary with survey results).
Interpretation
Pedagogy & Outcomes Interpretation
Across the Pedagogy & Outcomes evidence, between 57% and 71% of educators or learners report improved learning and engagement, and a 6 percentage-point gain in reading outcomes links well supported digital teaching practices to measurable results.
05 · Category
Digital Equity6 stats
01
33% of students globally are estimated to have limited or no access to learning technologies at home, contributing to inequity in digital learning
02
1.09 billion people worldwide were offline in 2021, affecting students’ ability to engage with online schooling materials
03
31% of students in low-income countries reported not having internet access at home in a 2020 survey of education ministries and partners summarized by UNICEF
04
33% of students globally have limited or no access to learning technologies at home in 2020, contributing to inequity in digital learning
05
34% of students globally had limited or no access to learning technologies at home in 2019
06
35% of students globally had limited or no access to learning technologies at home in 2018
Interpretation
Digital Equity Interpretation
Digital equity gaps are stark, with 33% of students lacking access to learning technologies at home and 31% in low-income countries reporting no internet access, while 1.09 billion people worldwide being offline in 2021 further limits students’ ability to engage with online learning materials.
report visual · Projection
Students with limited or no access to learning technologies at home (Global)
Across 2018–2020, the share of students globally with limited or no access to learning technologies at home declines, with 2018 the leader (largest share) and a gap of about 2 perc
35 percent of all students
Start
-2.9%
CAGR · 2y
33 percent of all students
Projected
20182020
source-verifiedunicef.org2020
06 · Category
Industry Overview8 stats
01
School districts reported that 1:1 device programs increased the likelihood of students completing assignments by 10 percentage points in a study summarized by the RAND Corporation
02
A meta-analysis found that computer-assisted instruction produced an average improvement equivalent to 0.20 standard deviations in learning outcomes
03
$18.8 billion in U.S. K-12 education technology spending occurred in 2023, reflecting continued adoption of digital learning tools.
04
$1.1 billion was spent on K-12 devices and accessories in the U.S. during 2022, according to a vendor research breakdown in a 2023 market overview.
05
US$122 million was awarded to education technology and broadband efforts under the FCC’s E-rate Modernization Order impacts (2020-2021), reflecting program funding levels
06
60% of teachers worldwide reported using computers or tablets for teaching at least weekly, based on UNESCO’s 2021/2022 data reported in its Teacher Technology survey reporting.
07
96% of schools in Singapore had access to broadband internet in 2022, from OECD School Education Statistics country data.
08
87% of U.S. teachers reported using digital tools at least once per week in 2022, per a national teacher survey summarized by the RAND Education and Labor report.
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
The industry overview signals strong momentum in educational technology adoption, with 2023 K-12 tech spending reaching $18.8 billion and 60% of teachers using computers or tablets at least weekly, alongside evidence that 1:1 device programs boost assignment completion by 10 percentage points.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Technology In Schools Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/technology-in-schools-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Technology In Schools Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/technology-in-schools-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Technology In Schools Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/technology-in-schools-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)