Champion the Transformation of Instruction Through Technology
Join Us in May for the Spring Ed Tech Advocacy and Policy Fly-In!
Your voice is essential to improving federal edtech policy and funding! That’s why we need you to share with members of Congress your stories about how digital learning is key to creating equitable and effective learning.
Join ISTE, CoSN, SETDA and SIIA and your colleagues from school districts, states and education service agencies in Washington, D.C., May 2, to discuss edtech topics like student data privacy, the homework gap, edtech funding, cybersecurity, digital citizenship and educator professional development. We’ll provide the training to help you make a significant impact on education.
Your participation makes all the difference. Register today for the Spring Ed Tech Advocacy and Policy Fly-In!
Guide: Using ESSA to Fund Edtech
This informative guide, written for educators and leaders, describes how technology can support many of the allowable uses of the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant, provided through Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Each subsection includes: where in ESSA or the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance a specific use is permitted, research that supports technology integration and example cases at various organizations and school districts.
1. Set a Shared Vision
Policymakers can convene diverse stakeholders to establish a shared vision around what digital teaching and learning should look like. Adopting the ISTE Standards serves as an ideal first step in developing this shared vision.
Federal Policy Resources
The National Education Technology PlanDeveloped by the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, this flagship edtech policy document lays out a national vision for effective edtech use around the themes of equity, active use and collaborative leadership.
ESSA, Edtech and the Future of EducationESSA governs K-12 education in the United States. How can education leaders leverage ESSA’s different programs and provisions to establish a shared vision for effective edtech use?
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State Policy Resources
Making the Case for the ISTE StandardsStates can adopt the ISTE Standards to ensure that edtech initiatives are grounded in a research-based framework.
Improving Student Outcomes through K-12 Edtech PolicyWho are the states that have adopted the ISTE Standards? What levers can states use to implement the standards?
Considerations for States Adapting the ISTE StandardsStates can choose to localize the language of the ISTE Standards to meet their needs. What key considerations allow for an effective implementation of state-adapted standards?
Crosswalking the ISTE Standards with State StandardsHow can the ISTE Standards support states’ existing student content and performance standards?
Defining Effective Edtech Use: How Can States Articulate a Shared Vision?How did Nevada convene diverse stakeholders to adapt the student section of the ISTE Standards?
2. Build Educator Capacity
Policymakers can reimagine what qualifications they are seeking from pre- and in-service teachers by aligning certification and re-licensure policies with competencies outlined in the the educator section of the ISTE Standards. Policymakers can also establish incentivized pathways for educators to become ISTE certified.
Federal Policy Resources
Advancing Educational Technology in Teacher PreparationDeveloped by the US Department of Education’s Office of Education Technology, this policy brief outlines four guiding principles around how colleges/schools of education can better integrate technology into their teacher preparation programs.
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State Policy Resources
Accelerating Educator Capacity: How Can States Reimagine Ed Tech Professional Learning?How is Wyoming recognizing and rewarding ISTE-certified educators through its state instructional technology endorsement program?
Addressing Pre-Service Capacity in Ed Tech: How Can States Reimagine Educator Preparation?How is Connecticut implementing the student section of the ISTE Standards by working with educator preparation programs?
Course of Mind: Policy Recommendations to Activate Learning Sciences in Your StateHow can states support the implementation of classroom practices and educational resources grounded in learning sciences?
Course of Mind: Policy Recommendations to Activate Learning Sciences in Your DistrictHow can districts help educators understand and apply learning sciences in their classrooms?
3. Allocate Necessary Funds
Policymakers can influence the budget process around strategic deployment of federal and local funds, with a focus on helping educators build their capacity to use technology effectively in the classroom.
Federal Policy Resources: ESSA
Using ESSA to Fund Edtech: Getting the Most Out of Title IV-AWhat is Title IV-A and how can technology support all allowable uses of this critical grant program?
ESSA Title IV-A Webinar, Fact Sheet and InfographicListen to Janice Mertes from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction explain how the Title IV-A grant program is being implemented in her state. Also, get quick information about the grant through materials developed by the Title IV-A Coalition.
ESSA Title II-A Fact SheetGet quick information about the ESSA Title II-A grant program.
Federal Policy Resources: Connectivity
E-Rate Frequently Asked QuestionsUse this page developed by the EdLinc Coalition to get quick information about the FCC’s E-Rate program, which seeks to expand broadband access in schools and libraries.
State Policy Resources
Utah Banks on Statewide Approach to Adopting EdtechHow is Utah funding edtech professional learning through its statewide Digital Teaching & Learning Grant program?
Ensuring Sustainability: How Can States Strategically Allocate Funds to Support Edtech Priorities?How has Utah’s investments into educator capacity building impacted practice in a sustainable way?
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