The first wave of petitions calling for technology professional development for all educators were delivered last week to Senator Patty Murray (Washington), and Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (California), Duncan Hunter (California) and George Miller (California) by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
More than one thousand educators are urging Congress to support technology training for teachers and administrators that advances digital learning in schools and allows students across the country access to the latest technologies needed to help build a competitive workforce.
Congress has eliminated funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program despite strong evidence that it resulted in improved student performance. These improvements must be made in order to achieve the Common Core adopted in 45 states.
ISTE warns that without federal support, promising professional development programs focused on technology will be shut down, making it difficult to prepare children for 21st century careers.
Promising professional development programs focused on technology are already being forced to shut down. Eastern Montana’s NEW SLATE initiative, which allowed the region to hire a technology specialist and a technology integration coach to deliver face-to-face, online and blended professional development, is being forced to close due to cuts in federal EETT funds. And Nevada’s Pathway Project, which developed and piloted multiple modular online professional development courses for teachers and administrators, has largely come to an end after expending its EETT funding. “Unless federal funds are provided to train educators in digital learning,” said Knezek.”The ones who suffer are the students. Technology is a huge part of their lives, but our education system is way behind in terms of implementing that technology in the classroom.”
The ISTE petition urges Congress and the Administration “to support professional development for teachers and administrators that advances digital learning in schools to ensure success for all students.”
To learn more about ISTE’s mission and activities, please visit http://www.iste.org/welcome.aspx
