Appendix C – Federal Technology Requirements

The complete law is found in Title IID as follows:

 Part D — Enhancing Education Through Technology

SEC. 2401. SHORT TITLE.

This part may be cited as the 'Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2402. PURPOSES AND GOALS.

(a) PURPOSES- The purposes of this part are the following:

(1) To provide assistance to States and localities for the implementation and support of a comprehensive system that effectively uses technology
      in elementary schools and secondary schools to improve student academic achievement.

(2) To encourage the establishment or expansion of initiatives, including initiatives involving public-private partnerships, designed to increase
     access to technology, particularly in schools served by high-need local educational agencies.

(3) To assist States and localities in the acquisition, development, interconnection, implementation, improvement, and maintenance of an effective
      educational technology infrastructure in a manner that expands access to technology for students (particularly for disadvantaged students) and
      teachers.

(4) To promote initiatives that provide school teachers, principals, and administrators with the capacity to integrate technology effectively into
      curricula and instruction that are aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, through such
      means as high-quality professional development programs.

(5) To enhance the ongoing professional development of teachers, principals, and administrators by providing constant access to training and
      updated research in teaching and learning through electronic means.

(6) To support the development and utilization of electronic networks and other innovative methods, such as distance learning, of delivering
      specialized or rigorous academic courses and curricula for students in areas that would not otherwise have access to such courses and
      curricula, particularly in geographically isolated regions.

(7) To support the rigorous evaluation of programs funded under this part, particularly regarding the impact of such programs on student
      academic achievement, and ensure that timely information on the results of such evaluations is widely accessible through electronic means.

(8) To support local efforts using technology to promote parent and family involvement in education and communication among students, parents,
      teachers, principals, and administrators.

(b) GOALS

(1) PRIMARY GOAL- The primary goal of this part is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary
      schools and secondary schools.

(2) ADDITIONAL GOALS- The additional goals of this part are the following:

(A) To assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the
      eighth grade, regardless of the student's race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability.

(B) To encourage the effective integration of technology resources and systems with teacher training and curriculum development to establish
      research-based instructional methods that can be widely implemented as best practices by State educational agencies and local educational
      agencies.

http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg34.html#sec2402

National Technology Plan

The National Technology Plan identifies a specific framework for transforming education.  Seven action steps and accompanying recommendations have been developed to support the implementation.  Steps related specifically to professional development include:

n      Strengthen leadership

n      Consider innovative budgeting

n      Improve teacher training

n      Support e-learning and virtual schools

n      Move toward digital content

n      Integrate data systems

Strengthen Leadership

For public education to benefit from the rapidly evolving development of information and communication technology, leaders at every level–school, district, and state–must not only supervise, but provide informed, creative, and ultimately transformative leadership for systemic change.

Recommendations for states, districts and individual schools include:

• Invest in leadership development programs to develop a new generation of tech-savvy leaders at every level.
• Retool administrator education programs to provide training in technology decision making and organizational change.
• Develop partnerships between schools, higher education and the community.
• Encourage creative technology partnerships with the business community.
• Empower students’ participation in the planning process.

Improve Teacher Training

Teachers have more resources available through technology than ever before, but have not received sufficient training in the effective use of technology to enhance learning. Teachers need access to research, examples, and innovations as well as staff development to learn best practices.

Recommendations for states, districts and individual schools include:

• Improve the preparation of new teachers in the use of technology.
• Ensure that every teacher has the opportunity to take online learning courses.
• Improve the quality and consistency of teacher education through measurement, accountability and increased technology resources.
• Ensure that every teacher knows how to use data to personalize instruction. This is marked by the ability to interpret data to understand student progress and challenges, drive daily decisions and design instructional interventions to customize instruction for every student’s unique needs.

Move Toward Digital Content

Recommendations to states and districts include:

• Ensure that teachers and students are adequately trained in the use of online content.
• Encourage ubiquitous access to computers and connectivity for each student.
• Consider the costs and benefits of online content, aligned with rigorous state academic standards, as part of a systemic approach to creating resources for students to customize learning to their individual needs.

Integrate Data Systems

Integrated, interoperable data systems are the key to better allocation of resources, greater management efficiency, and online and technology-based assessments of student performance that empower educators to transform teaching and personalize instruction.

Recommendations to states, districts and schools include:

• Establish a plan to integrate data systems so that administrators and educators have the information they need to increase efficiency and improve student learning.
• Use data from both administrative and instructional systems to understand relationships between decisions, allocation of resources and student achievement.
• Ensure interoperability. For example, consider School Interoperability Framework (SIF) Compliance Certification as a requirement in all RFPs and purchasing decisions.
• Use assessment results to inform and differentiate instruction for every child.

Support E-Learning and Virtual Schools

In the past five years there has been an explosive growth in organized online instruction (e-learning) and “virtual” schools, making it possible for students at all levels to receive high quality supplemental or full courses of instruction personalized to their needs. Traditional schools are turning to these services to expand opportunities and choices for students and professional development for teachers.

Recommendations for states, districts and schools include:

• Provide every student access to e-learning.
• Enable every teacher to participate in e-learning training.
• Encourage the use of e-learning options to meet No Child Left Behind requirements for highly qualified teachers, supplemental services and parental choice.
• Explore creative ways to fund e-learning opportunities.
• Develop quality measures and accreditation standards for e-learning that mirror those required for course credit.

http://www.nationaledtechplan.org/actionsteps.asp#imp