A report based on a survey answered by almost half of the 86,700 public schools in the United States has found that technology such as computers and Internet access is spreading quickly through these schools, the New York Times reports.

The "Technology in Education 1999" report was compiled by Market Data Retrieval, a unit of Dun & Bradstreet that studies education and related markets. The results show high rates of technology adoption in schools happening in a relatively short time.

For example, 90 percent of public schools have access to the Internet, compared to 32 percent three years ago. For 71 percent of schools, Internet access is available in at least one classroom, as opposed to only being available in the library or computer lab. Nearly half of the schools surveyed have access through a high-speed T-1 line.

Schools are becoming more sophisticated in their use of the Internet as well, the Times reports. Over half now have a school Web page, and 54 percent report that most of their teachers use the Internet in their classes.

Even after $5.53 billion in expenditures last year to reach this level, all is not good news, however. While the U.S. Department of Education recommends at least one modern computer (faster chip speeds, larger memory size and hard disk) for every five students, schools have only brought that ratio down to one for every ten, the Times reports.

The Digital Divide becomes an issue as well. According to the report, schools with high poverty rates and high percentages of minority students are less likely to have access to modern technology. Ninety-four percent of schools in the wealthiest areas have Internet access, as opposed to 84 percent in low-income areas, the Times reports.

"Citizens should be able to expect a decent public education," B. Keith Fulton, director of technology programs and policy at the National Urban League, told the Times. "To the extent that schools are not providing students with meaningful connectivity, they are failing their mandate to provide a good public education."

Some also wonder if the technology is being put to good educational use. "Access is part of the picture, but access doesn't mean use, and use doesn't always mean meaningful use" Fulton told the Times.

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