To ensure that the classroom of the next century offers all its potential, schools must plan for changes in technology that will bring opportunities that currently can only be imagined. Virtual reality is already amazing, and has the potential to be the most effective method for training people who learn and remember best by doing. Verbal computer communications, multimedia instruction, and global information retrieval all promise to revolutionize education. By the 21st century, students may choose what schools to attend, as well as whether they wish to be educated at home or at school. Competitive public schools are gaining more and more support. Principals of the future will have more power and responsibility than they do today. Some of the issues educators must face now to be ready for the future include: (1) teaching middle school students to program in BASIC; (2) developing a composite laboratory in the school; (3) developing community and home computer use; (4) encouraging computer use by every class, but not necessarily in every classroom; (5) avoiding unproven innovative equipment; (6) supporting teacher education in computer use; and (7) using hardware effectively. Examples of effective computer use are taken from three high schools. (Contains 8 references.) (SLD)