NSBA President
Making the case for educational technology
By C. H. “Sonny” Savoie
Most of us, every day, are impacted by the use of technology. Board members, teachers, administrators, children, and community members use technology in their work or in their daily lives. Although many millions of federal, state, and local dollars have been invested in hardware and software solutions, professional development, and networks and connectivity for our schools, in our boardrooms and classrooms the debate rages on about the effectiveness of those investments.
Because of those concerns, this is a particularly critical time for educational technology. For years, the federal government reduced spending for educational technology because it was not a federal priority. Technology funding and staffing is at risk as many state and local governments face budget shortfalls due to the impact of additional federal mandates and other budget constraints. Yet, the stimulus dollars offer an unprecedented opportunity to make thoughtful and wise investments that can position districts for the future.
Now, more than ever, school leaders, state officers, and executive directors must be knowledgeable about the use of educational technology to support instruction and district operations, and understand how it contributes to the long-term economic health and vitality of our communities. We must learn more about the positive contributions of technology on teaching and learning and about funding sources that impact school district technology budgets. We need more information about the tools available to track spending, to monitor student achievement, and to manage our resources effectively and efficiently. We also need broad information about the best tools to track student learning and how personalized lessons can be delivered to struggling students to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind.
Our role as advocates is to turn up the heat on priority funding sources. NSBA’s advocacy department is hard at work in getting our message across to Congress. If every school board member is to lead their communities in preparing every student to succeed in a rapidly changing global society, then we need a technology-rich learning environment to produce citizens for today’s high-tech workforce.
School districts must be aggressive in involving outside partners, such as business and professional organizations, parent and community groups in encouraging budgeting priorities for the effective use of technology.
I urge each of you to attend our NSBA Technology and Learning conference in Denver on Oct. 28 to 30. This conference focuses on the needs of school leaders and districts. Our T+L conference provides the information your leadership teams will need to make important decisions about where and how technology funds should be spent. You’ll find useful information about innovative ways to stretch resources and secure new funding streams. Learn about data collection systems, best educational practices, and the ways that technology can help school districts meet the requirements of NCLB.
Participate in the Technology Leadership Network (TLN) site visit or one of the post-conference field trips to see firsthand how three districts are implementing cutting edge technology to prepare all students with the skills they need for the 21st century.
This year’s conference will address critical issues like the growing importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) courses in the changing world of college and career-readiness; how to take the next step in one-to-one learning; and legal updates to ensure district technology policies are relevant. Experts will be speaking on closing the digital divide, on raising the bar on student achievement, and on using technology to enhance local school governance.
We must move forward with sound educational technology policy, because cutting funding and efforts already in place will only devalue our investments and curtail the improvements and advancements we’ve already made. Your participation is critical to NSBA’s mission and advocacy role, so don’t miss this opportunity to assemble your decision-making team and be a part of the only national education technology conference focused on school leaders and board members. Network with others, share best practices with you colleagues, and hear from the highly acclaimed experts we’ve gathered for this conference. It will be time and money well spent.
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