hwExecutive Summary
The Internet poses a singular challenge for public school leaders and parents. Many public opinion surveys confirm that Americans expect school leaders to focus on two top priorities: keeping children safe and increasing student achievement. At a time when Internet usage among children and adults is rising dramatically, however, these priorities sometimes may seem contradictory. Is it possible for schools to protect students from inappropriate content without denying them access to engaging and valuable educational content? Can adults craft approaches that strike a balance between safe and smart Internet usage by children? These questions are at the crux of the dilemma we face with increasing frequency and urgency.
Until now, this dilemma has been complicated by a dearth of credible information. There was a lack of good data about where children access the Internet, what they do once they're connected, what kinds of sites they visit, and how much adult supervision and guidance they receive, among many other basic issues. Nor did we know much about parents' perceptions of and expectations for their children's Internet usage. Without sound research, there is a tendency to react to the headlines and hype of the moment – and that tack may not result in wise school policymaking and parental oversight.
Against this backdrop, the National School Boards Foundation worked with Grunwald Associates, a leading market research and consulting firm specializing in technology, to develop an unprecedented national survey of parents and children. The Dieringer Research Group conducted the survey and tabulated the data. With generous support from the Children's Television Workshop and Microsoft Corporation, we surveyed a significantly large random sample of 1,735 households nationwide to learn about children's Internet usage. In telephone interviews, we asked parents of children aged two to 17 a number of questions about the role the Internet plays in their children's lives. We also asked children themselves, aged nine to 17, from the same households, for a reality check on the role of the Internet their own lives.
(www.nsbf.org)

hwExecutive Summary
The Internet poses a singular challenge for public school leaders and parents. Many public opinion surveys confirm that Americans expect school leaders to focus on two top priorities: keeping children safe and increasing student achievement. At a time when Internet usage among children and adults is rising dramatically, however, these priorities sometimes may seem contradictory. Is it possible for schools to protect students from inappropriate content without denying them access to engaging and valuable educational content? Can adults craft approaches that strike a balance between safe and smart Internet usage by children? These questions are at the crux of the dilemma we face with increasing frequency and urgency.
Until now, this dilemma has been complicated by a dearth of credible information. There was a lack of good data about where children access the Internet, what they do once they're connected, what kinds of sites they visit, and how much adult supervision and guidance they receive, among many other basic issues. Nor did we know much about parents' perceptions of and expectations for their children's Internet usage. Without sound research, there is a tendency to react to the headlines and hype of the moment – and that tack may not result in wise school policymaking and parental oversight.
Against this backdrop, the National School Boards Foundation worked with Grunwald Associates, a leading market research and consulting firm specializing in technology, to develop an unprecedented national survey of parents and children. The Dieringer Research Group conducted the survey and tabulated the data. With generous support from the Children's Television Workshop and Microsoft Corporation, we surveyed a significantly large random sample of 1,735 households nationwide to learn about children's Internet usage. In telephone interviews, we asked parents of children aged two to 17 a number of questions about the role the Internet plays in their children's lives. We also asked children themselves, aged nine to 17, from the same households, for a reality check on the role of the Internet their own lives.
(www.nsbf.org)