What is the availability of Internet access in instructional rooms?

Although the goal of connecting all U. S. public schools to the Internet now appears to be within reach, making the Internet accessible to all students in all instructional rooms will require much more effort. Over the last year, the percentage of schools with Internet access which had such access in five or more instructional rooms increased from 25 percent in 1996 to 43 percent in 1997 (Table 2). Another way of looking at instructional rooms with access is to look at all such rooms across all public schools. Since 1994, the percentage of instructional rooms which were connected to the Internet increased from 3 percent to 8 percent in 1995, 14 percent in 1996, and 27 percent in 1997. However, in 1997 in the 2 percent of schools which reported no connections in instructional rooms, students would have little or no contact with the Internet. Further, even in instructional rooms with Internet access, students who spend time in those rooms may not actually use that access. What is the outlook for achieving Internet access by 2000?