AT&T offers technological assistance to schools in need

President Barack Obama recently announced the launch of his ConnectED initiative, which aims to improve Internet access for 99 percent of American students within five years, according to a White House press release.

With schools in the process of implementing the Common Core State Standards, the need for better Internet access in classrooms is great, as educators see how useful technology can be in enhancing instruction. AT&T is among the organizations dedicated to helping schools achieve their technology goals.

To date, the communications holding company has helped schools in states like California, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina become better prepared to provide instruction in a more technological education sector.

"Technology is reshaping the 21st-century classroom, from tablets and smartphones to online testing and videoconferencing," said John Irwin, AT&T senior vice president of government, education and healthcare, in a press release. "Having a strong network infrastructure, backed by one of the world's most advanced and powerful global networks, is essential to successfully supporting the future of educational technology."

The networking services AT&T provides to schools vary depending on the institutions' needs, but often include switching to Ethernet so classrooms will have greater bandwidth.