Group protests technology-infused education cuts

STATEMENT FROM ISTE CEO DON KNEZEK ON U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PROPOSAL FOR FY2011 CONTINUING RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON, DC (February 14, 2011)

The following statement was released by Don Knezek, the Chief Executive Officer of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), regarding the proposed FY2011 Continuing Resolution offered by leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives may believe they are being penny-wise by eliminating funding for programs such as EETT from the FY2011 Continuing Resolution, but their actions are truly pound-foolish, particularly when it comes to the students, communities, economy and nation as a whole that will be devastated by this proposed action.

If we are serious about providing a competitive education for all students, Enhancing Education Through Technology is an essential component. As we continue to ask our teachers to do more with less, EETT offers the promise of better preparing our teachers and classrooms for the rigors of a digital age education.

Instead of trimming $100 million needed to help our teachers improve classroom instruction, we should be asking what more we have to do to better integrate education technology in our schools and what additional investment is required. EETT should not be a Republican or a Democratic issue. It is an economic competitiveness issue, plain and simple. And it demands our attention.

On behalf of the more than 100,000 K-12 education leaders reached by ISTE, I hope Congress sees that cutting EETT in the CR is the wrong cut at the wrong time. For the United States to be economically competitive, we need to be increasing investment in programs such as EETT, not gutting them before their promise has been realized.

How short-sighted of this Congress to invest less in our creativity, productivity and new-century workforce as we watch country after country overtake and pass us on key international benchmarks.

At the start of 2011, ISTE identified the three most important education technology policy issues facing our nation. Protecting programs such as EETT was, is, and should remain the number one priority when it comes to ed tech issues today.”

About ISTE
ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in advancing excellence in learning and teaching through innovative and effective uses of technology. With its affiliate network, ISTE represents more than 100,000 education leaders and emerging leaders throughout the world. http://www.iste.org.
ISTE is the registered trademark of the International Society for Technology in Education.