Compiling inventory: Utah Education Network, in collaboration with Connected Nation, calls on schools to track classroom technology

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Utah Education Network (UEN), in collaboration with the national nonprofit Connected Nation (CN), is launching the 2025 Utah School Technology Inventory. This inventory provides an updated look at how technology is used in Utah's public and charter schools. Conducted every two years since 2015, the inventory was established through Senate Bill 222, which created the state's Digital Teaching and Learning program and required a regular review of classroom technology. It tracks the availability and use of devices, digital platforms, and other resources that support teaching and learning statewide.

For the first time, the upcoming K-12 Tech Inventory will include questions about how schools are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms and teaching practices. By expanding the survey in this way, Utah educators will gain insights into where AI is currently being used, where training and resources are needed, and how schools can responsibly prepare students for an AI-driven future.

"The K-12 Tech Inventory has been instrumental in helping Utah educators plan for evolving technology needs," said Melanie Valentine, Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist, Utah State Board of Education. "With a decade of data, we've been able to track progress, identify gaps, and make informed decisions that directly support student learning. This statewide effort ensures equitable access to digital tools and strengthens our ability to advocate for resources. It's more than just numbers — it's a reflection of Utah's commitment to innovation and excellence in public education."

In 2023, CN worked with UEN to collect more than 82,000 data points across 1,034 schools statewide. The inventory found that the device-to-student ratio in Utah's educational institutions has increased since 2015, but remained the same between 2021 and 2023. More than 878,600 computing devices are available to more than 667,780 K-12 Utah students. The 2023 inventory also found nearly 2 out of 5 Utah schools (38%) offer mobile learning devices on a 1:1 basis and allow students to take those devices home, maintaining a similar rate from 2021 (39%). 

"A decade of the Utah Education Network's statewide Digital and Teaching Learning (DTL) inventory provides a window into the evolution of technology use throughout Utah's public education, from capturing 1:1 student device use and wireless coverage, to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in the classroom," said Mike McIntosh, Associate IT Director, UEN. "The continued reporting from this inventory equips Utah educators and decision makers with crucial information to plan and adapt for the future of public education."

In recent years, the need to monitor technology in Utah schools and identify strategies for supporting continuous learning in the face of unforeseen challenges has become increasingly clear.

"For over two decades, Connected Nation has believed that good data leads to great decisions," said Tom Ferree, Chairman and CEO of Connected Nation. "The Utah School Technology Inventory is a powerful tool that gives educators, policymakers, and communities the insights they need to act with confidence. Data is the foundation for advancement, and this inventory is helping to write the next chapter of educational excellence in Utah."

About the Utah Education Network: UEN is part of the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) which connects all Utah school districts, schools, and higher education institutions to a robust network and quality educational resources. UEN is one of the nation's premier education networks.

About Connected Nation: The national nonprofit's mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access, adoption, and use of high-speed internet and its related technology to all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.

Connected Nation works with consumers, local community leaders, states, technology providers and foundations to develop and implement technology expansion programs with core competencies centered on a mission to improve digital inclusion for people and places previously underserved or overlooked. For more information, please visit: connectednation.org.

SOURCE Connected Nation