After an initial reaction here Monday to the Obama Administration’s proposed FY2011 budget for the U.S. Department of Education and educational technology, a fuller analysis is now possible (see others here, here and here).  The budget notes that: “The President strongly believes that technology, when used creatively and effectively, can transform education and training in the same way that it has transformed the private sector.”  The question then is how the budget proposes to support that notion, and if in fact it would.

The Obama educational technology proposal includes three core elements: (1) “consolidation” of the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, which would end the program and diffuse those dollars as a technology priority throughout the new Effective Teaching and Learning programs (p.7, 26-27, and 34); (2) integration of technology into other programs including i3 and RttT; and (3) enhanced R&D investment in USED and National Science Foundation.

The EETT budget justification reads:  “The Administration‟s ESEA reauthorization proposal would consolidate this [EETT] program into the Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education authority. Each of the three programs under this new authority would include a focus on integrating technology into instruction and using technology to drive improvements in teaching and learning. In addition, using technology to improve student outcomes is a key priority in the Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation (i3) programs. The Administration‟s proposal for College- and Career-Ready Students [i.e., Title I] also will promote the development of State capacity to support district efforts to use technology to improve instruction.” 

SIIA applauds the Obama Administration’s proposed budget for recognizing the important role of technology to transform education and improve student outcomes.  We also welcome proposals to better integrate technology to drive improvements in teaching and learning throughout the many grant programs. This integration currently exists on paper, but there are many opportunities to further leverage this approach into practice.

SIIA also believes targeted federal investment, including through the EETT program, plays a critical role in both building state and local capacity for educational innovation through technology, as well as for coordinating disparate school improvement investments that leverage educational technologies. Directed investment may be especially important where capacity and resources are otherwise lacking to take advantage of existing and new flexibility, thus risking exacerbation of the classroom digital divide between schools.

SIIA looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress to ensure that any new federal K-12 paradigm continues the systematic and coordinated investment in educational technology leadership needed to drive education innovation and continuous improvement.  This includes work during the ESEA reauthorization processes to further integrate technology throughout all education programs as proposed, as well as continued support for increased investment in EETT (or an alternative such as the ATTAIN Act) at least until such time as there are meaningful and quantifiable alternative approaches enacted to achieve these goals.