SC rises to top third of EdWeek tech rankings

South Carolina received great news as its state technology ranking lept from 39th to 14th in a report released yesterday, reports the Greenville News.

According to the annual report published by the journal Education Week, South Carolina went from C-minus grade last year to B-minus. The national average was C.

The state would have gotten a better grade if it had required new teachers to be technologically proficient and tested students on their technology skills, the report said.

"The challenge of the next decade, I think, is going to be how to get students to the point where they can not only use technology but demonstrate higher-level cognitive skills, effective communication and problem-solving abilities using technology," said Carole Vinograd Bausell.

"That's why the role of educators is not diminished by technology."

Ten years ago, when the report was first issued, only one in three public schools in the US had Internet access. Today, virtually all schools do.

The state got higher marks for instituting a pilot virtual school program that brings digitally delivered instruction to areas lacking teachers.