Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
The SchoolSpeedTest runs over HTTP for maximum compatibility and collects the IP address
from which the test was initiated, plus the operating system and browser of the device that runs
the test.

Tests: ping (latency), upload/download speeds, filtering—whether specific websites are
blocked—and device support for Java and Flash.
Filtering Checklist
The current list is subject to change in response to the rapidly shifting variety and change that
occurs in K-12 curricula and instructional support materials.
Edmodo
Facebook
Hulu
neoK12
PBS Kids
PBS Learning Media
TED
YouTube for Education
YouTube
Khan Academy
SchoolTube
Wikipedia
Test Engine Validates U.S. IP Addresses & Checks for JavaScript
1. SchoolSpeedTest is restricted to U.S. schools. Test engine checks a database to validate
a U.S.-based IP address. User gets an error message if the school is outside the U.S.
2. Test engine checks to see if JavaScript is enabled in the user's browser. If not, the user
receives an error message asking them to enable JavaScript to run the SchoolSpeedTest.
User-Friendly & Intuitive Protocol
1. Transfer test runs in the background and downloads small binary files that estimate the
connection speed.
2. Test engine determines file size to use for the test. Files must be able download in 15 seconds.
3. Tester enters a zip code or city + state information into the look-up. This database uses 1)
Common Core Data (CCD) from U.S. DOE and 2) information from OSPI. (2011 was the most
recent update of the CCD database, so some schools might not show up.)
4. Tester selects their school. If it does not show up, the tester can enter their school information
manually. These entries are flagged in the system for validation.
5. Tester confirms their location and connection to the school network. Tester selects their role
and age. An email address is optional and discarded if the tester is under age 13.
6. Tester clicks Start Test to launch the SchoolSpeedTest.
Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
Test Operation
Once the user initiates the SchoolSpeedTest by click Start Test, the test engine executes execute the
following procedure:

Test engine initiates 5 small data transfers to each of the several ESH servers set up to store
files that perform the download test. Test engine selects the server with the shortest average
transfer time.

Browser-based JavaScript randomizes the download of several files from the selected server.
Files are selected based on an estimate of the tester’s connection speed—a result of the earlier
transfer test.
Test engine records the time it takes to download these files and calculates the download speed this
way.

((# of bytes in the files downloaded) x 8) / (# seconds it took to download the files) to get
bits/second, and then divides that number by 1,000,000 to get Mbps
Test engine generates a random set of data, uploads it to a common server and sends the packet as http
post. The use of a common server and the limitations of web transfer technology can result in greater
variability in download/upload speed measurements, however, security is tighter.
Test engine pings sites on the checklist to determine access limitations. This is a simple http
connectivity test—not always reliable (redirects misinform results), however, this test is a good general
indicator of network access.
Test engine determines whether or not the browser supports JavaScript and Flash.
Tester Gets First Results
When the SchoolSpeedTest is complete, the tester gets immediate feedback—upload/download
speeds, blocked sites, Java/Flash support, and OS and browser type.
Reports Compile Local, Regional and National Connectivity Data
EducationalSuperHighway will analyze the data, and create a report for each participating
district that shows available bandwidth—maximum, minimum and average—during school
hours. All test data stores in the ESH database.
View Your District Data
1. Go here: http://www.schoolspeedtest.org/stats/district.html.
2. Enter Washington │ Enter your district name
3. Enter this password – sittuquk.
Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
Web-based Video & the SchoolSpeedTest
Videos present as a single data stream, which is the best way to measure connectivity speed.
The use of multiple http threads is a better approach if the most common use of video derives
from web browsing where the tester uses several TCP sessions to retrieve data in parallel.
The SchoolSpeedTest Delivers Good Data
The SchoolSpeedTest offers a snapshot of the user experience. Most other speed tests measure
maximum throughput to determine how much bandwidth (theoretical bandwidth minus
unavailable bandwidth) your ISP provides. Figure 1 shows how available bandwidth varies over
a specific interval.
Theoretical Bandwidth. Determined by your network infrastructure—wiring, network
interface, routers and ISP capacity.
Unavailable Bandwidth. Determined by what other users are doing on the network at any
given time—Internet and non-Internet traffic, plus variations in bandwidth caused by your ISP
and background congestion on the web.
Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
The SchoolSpeedTest measures available bandwidth at the time you take the test. We do this
by transferring a file from our servers to your device and measuring the time it takes (Figure 2,
gray-shaded area). This data makes it possible to calculate your average available bandwidth in
megabits per second—how much data you get from the Internet in one second.
Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
Other speed tests take multiple, small samples over a time period (Figure 3, light blue shaded
areas B1—B12). Many tests discard the slowest 30% and fastest 10% of these samples to lessen
the impact of other users on your results. They use the remaining samples to calculate an
average speed.
Washington State
EducationSuperHighway (ESH)
SchoolSpeedTest/Technical Information
Video demands greater bandwidth and continuous streams of bandwidth for a good user
experience. In Figure 4, for the time interval T:

V1 is the first video user—high quality, uninterrupted experience.

V2 is the second simultaneous video user—a good experience with sufficient continuous
bandwidth.

V3 is the third simultaneous video user—several interruption, which degrade the video
quality and user experience.
The user experience continues to degrade as more simultaneous users go online during this
time interval. The stream is almost unavailable to the 8th simultaneous user.