In 2021, 1.09 billion people worldwide were still offline, even as schools added learning systems and devices. Evidence summarized by RAND links 1:1 device programs to a 10 percentage point increase in student assignment completion. The gap continues at home, where 33% of students are estimated to have limited or no learning technology.
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
Despite rapid internet and device adoption, many students still lack access and study conditions at home, widening learning inequality.
Related reading
01 · 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
In the Global Enrollment context, the challenge is both vast and growing, with 1.7 billion students in primary and secondary schooling and only 37% of learners able to access remote learning during spring 2020, even as internet use rose from 10.4% in 2010 to 53.6% in 2019.
02 · Category
Digital Equity3 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
Interpretation
Digital Equity Interpretation
Digital equity is still a major barrier because 33% of students lack limited or no learning technology at home and 31% in low income countries reported no internet access in 2020, leaving students unable to fully benefit from digital learning and online materials.
03 · Category
K 12 Technology Spend1 stats
01
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
Interpretation
K 12 Technology Spend Interpretation
For the K 12 Technology Spend category, US$122 million in 2020 to 2021 was directed toward education technology and broadband through the FCC’s E rate Modernization Order, signaling sustained federal support for upgrading K 12 connectivity and tools.
04 · Category
Learning Outcomes2 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
Interpretation
Learning Outcomes Interpretation
For learning outcomes, the evidence suggests technology can make a measurable difference, with 1:1 device programs linked to a 10 percentage point increase in assignment completion and computer-assisted instruction showing an average effect size of 0.20 standard deviations in student learning.
05 · 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
Under the instructional technology adoption lens, the data show strong infrastructure uptake with 69% of OECD schools having an LMS by 2018, 81% of US public schools reporting broadband access in 2022, and 93% having instructional computers, while use is nearly as widespread with 80% of teachers using digital tools for teaching in 2021.
06 · 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 technology for schools are clearly accelerating, with the global education technology market growing from $227.0 billion in 2021 to a projected $398.3 billion by 2027 and the smart classroom market forecast to rise from $9.1 billion in 2022 to $33.5 billion by 2032.
More related reading
07 · Category
Access & Equity1 stats
01
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.
Interpretation
Access & Equity Interpretation
From an Access and Equity perspective, the fact that 60% of teachers worldwide use computers or tablets at least weekly suggests meaningful, but still uneven, progress in extending classroom technology opportunities.
08 · Category
Infrastructure & Connectivity1 stats
01
96% of schools in Singapore had access to broadband internet in 2022, from OECD School Education Statistics country data.
Interpretation
Infrastructure & Connectivity Interpretation
In the Infrastructure and Connectivity category, Singapore schools showed very broad access with 96% having broadband internet in 2022, indicating strong baseline connectivity nationwide.
09 · 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
In the Pedagogy & Outcomes framing, the evidence consistently points to classroom practice with technology delivering measurable gains, with 71% of students showing improved outcomes in 2020 when teachers used learning-management functions effectively and a 6 percentage-point reading boost linked to structured educational technology use in 2019.
10 · Category
Spending & ROI2 stats
01
$18.8 billion in U.S. K-12 education technology spending occurred in 2023, reflecting continued adoption of digital learning tools.
02
$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.
Interpretation
Spending & ROI Interpretation
In the Spending and ROI category, U.S. K-12 education technology spending reached $18.8 billion in 2023, signaling strong ongoing adoption, while a 2022 spend of $1.1 billion on devices and accessories underscores that the ROI conversation is being driven by tangible hardware investments.
11 · Category
Adoption & Usage1 stats
01
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
Adoption & Usage Interpretation
For the adoption and usage angle, the fact that 87% of U.S. teachers used digital tools at least once per week in 2022 shows that regular technology use is already widespread rather than a niche practice.
Reference
Cite This Report
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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
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)