1.This Act may be cited as the
Achievement Through Technology and
Innovation Act of 2009
.
2.Enhancing Education
Through TechnologyPart D of
title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6751
et seq.) is amended to read as follows:
DEnhancing
Education Through Technology
2401.Findings,
purposes, and goals
(a)The
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)Learning
technologies are critical in our schools to meet the goals of the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 of raising student achievement, closing the achievement gap
and ensuring high quality teaching, and to ensure that our Nation’s students
are prepared to compete in the 21st Century knowledge-based global
economy.
(2)A 2007 Department
of Education random control study found that students using selected reading
and math software achieved at least as well as those in the control classrooms
using other methods and curriculum, students were more likely to engage
in individual practice and teachers were more likely to facilitate student
learning rather than lecture
, and nearly all teachers indicated that
they would want to use the technology again. These findings came in only the
first year of implementation, with less than recommended time using the
software, and with half of teachers indicating their need for more related
professional development.
(3)Increased
professional development opportunities are needed if teachers are to be highly
qualified and effective in a 21st century classroom with today’s digital native
students, including in the use of learning technologies to deliver innovative
instruction and curriculum and to use data to inform instruction.
(4)Scientifically
based research, conducted with Federal funding, demonstrates that systemic
reform initiatives centered around technology have shown great promise in
improving teaching and learning, including the following:
(A)In Utah, Missouri,
and Maine, the eMINTS program provides schools and teachers with educational
technology tools, curriculum, and over 200 hours of professional development to
change how teachers teach and students learn. In classrooms in the same school
(one with eMINTS and one without), the student achievement of students in the
eMINTS classroom was repeatedly over 10 percent higher than the control
classroom.
(B)In West Virginia,
students receiving access to on-line foreign language courses performed at
least as well as those in face-to-face versions of the classes, providing
comparable high quality instruction for those in rural areas who otherwise
would not have access to such courses.
(C)In Michigan’s
Freedom to Learn technology program, 8th grade math achievement increased from
31 percent in 2004 to 63 percent in 2005 in one middle school, and science
achievement increased from 68 percent of students proficient in 2003 to 80
percent in 2004.
(D)In Texas, the
Technology Immersion Pilot, implemented in middle schools, demonstrated that
discipline referrals went down by over ½ with the changes
in teaching and learning; while in one school, 6th grade standardized math
scores increased by 5 percent, 7th grade by 42 percent, and 8th grade by 24
percent.
(E)In Iowa, after
connecting teachers with sustainable professional development and
technology-based curriculum interventions, student scores increased by 14
points in 8th grade math, 16 points in 4th grade math, and 13 points in 4th
grade reading compared with control groups.
(5)Technology and
e-learning in our schools are necessary to meet our science, technology,
engineering and mathematics education needs and provide students with 21st
century skills, including technology literacy, information literacy,
communication, problem solving, and the ability for self-directed lifelong
learning.
(6)A 2003 Department
of Commerce report credits United States industry’s investments in information
technology between 1989–2001 with producing positive and probably lasting
changes in the Nation’s economic potential, but finds education in the United
States last in intensity of information technology of 55 industry
sectors.
(7)Many schools in
the United States lack the resources necessary for the 21st century classroom
and to meet the needs and expectations of today’s digital native students,
including software, digital content, broadband and other technologies.
(8)According to the
Department of Education’s National Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS
2007), insufficient or outdated technology presented a substantial barrier to
technology use for teaching and learning for more than 40 percent of students,
while lack of support specialists was a barrier to technology use for more than
50 percent of students.
(9)Federal leadership
and investment is needed to serve as a catalyst for State and local education
initiatives aimed at school innovation and improved student achievement through
leveraging educational technologies. According to the Department of Education’s
National Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS 2007), because funds
generated locally through bonds or taxes frequently have legal restrictions
requiring them to be spent on hardware and connectivity purchases only, Federal
and State funds supporting the use of technology resources fill a critical
gap.
(b)The
purposes of this part are the following:
(1)To ensure that
through technology every student has access to individualized, rigorous, and
relevant learning to meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and
to prepare all students and the United States for the 21st century.
(2)To evaluate, build
upon and increase the use of research-based and innovative systemic school
reforms that center on the use of technology and lead to school improvement and
increase student achievement.
(3)To increase
on-going, meaningful professional development around technology that leads to
changes in teaching and curriculum, and which improves student achievement,
including but not limited to core curricular subjects, and student technology
literacy.
(c)The
goals of this part are the following:
(1)To improve student
academic achievement on State academic standards through the use of
professional development, research-based and innovative systemic school
reforms, and other technology uses and applications.
(2)To improve teacher
professional development to ensure every teacher and administrator is
technologically literate, including possessing the knowledge and skills to use
technology across the curriculum, to use technology and curriculum redesign as
key components of changing teaching and learning and improving student
achievement, to use technology for data analysis to enable individualized
instruction, and to use technology to improve student technology
literacy.
(3)To ensure that every
student is technologically literate by graduation, regardless of the student’s
race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or
disability.
(4)To improve student
engagement, opportunity, attendance, graduation rates, and technology access
through enhanced or redesigned curriculum or instruction.
(5)To more
effectively use data to inform instruction, address individualized student
needs, and support school decision making.
(6)To improve the
efficiency and productivity of the classroom and school enterprise toward the
ultimate purposes of improving student achievement.
2402.In this part, the term student
technology literacy means student knowledge and skills in using
contemporary information, communication and learning technologies in a manner
necessary for successful life-long learning and citizenship in the
knowledge-based, digital, and global 21st century, which includes the abilities
to effectively communicate and collaborate; to analyze and solve problems; to
access, evaluate, manage and create information and otherwise gain information
literacy; and to do so in a safe and ethical manner.
2403.Authorization
of appropriations
(a)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
part, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary
for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
(b)Allocation of
funds between State and local and national initiativesAllocation
of funds between State and local and national initiatives—the amount of funds
made available under subsection (a) for a fiscal year shall be allocated so
that—
(1)the lesser of 3
percent or $10,000,000 is made available to carry out subpart 2, including not
more than $2,000,000 annually to carry out section 2421(a); and
(2)the remainder of
funds is made available to carry out subpart 1.
(c)
(1)Of the amount of
funds made available to a local educational agency under this part for a fiscal
year, not more than 5 percent may be used by the recipient for administrative
costs or technical assistance, of which not more than 60 percent may be used by
the recipient for administrative costs.
(2)Of the amount of
funds made available to a State local educational agency under section
2412(a)(1) for administrative costs and technical assistance, nor more than 60
percent may be used by the recipient for administrative costs.
(3)The funds made
available to carry-out activities under section 2421(a) shall be used solely to
develop the National Education Technology Plan and not transferred or otherwise
used for any other purpose.
1
2411.Allotment and
reallotment
(a)Reservations and
allotmentFrom the amount made available to carry out this part
under section 2403(b)(2) for a fiscal year—
(1)the Secretary shall
reserve—
(A)three-fourths of 1
percent for the Secretary of the Interior for programs under this subpart for
schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
(B)one-half of 1
percent to provide assistance under this subpart to the outlying areas;
and
(2)from the remainder
of such amount and subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall make grants
by allotting to each eligible State educational agency under this subpart an
amount that bears the same relationship to such remainder for such year as the
amount received under part A of title I for such year by such State educational
agency bears to the amount received under such part for such year by all State
educational agencies.
(b)The amount of any State educational agency’s allotment
under subsection (a)(2) for any fiscal year may not be less than one-half of 1
percent of the amount made available for allotments to States under this part
for such year.
(c)Reallotment of
unused fundsIf any State educational agency does not apply for
an allotment under this subpart for a fiscal year, or does not use its entire
allotment under this subpart for that fiscal year, the Secretary shall reallot
the amount of the State educational agency’s allotment, or the unused portion
of the allotment, to the remaining State educational agencies that use their
entire allotments under this subpart in accordance with this section.
(d)State
educational agency definedIn this section, the term State
educational agency does not include an agency of an outlying area or the
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
2412.Use of
allotment by State
(a)Of the amount provided to a State educational agency from
the agency’s allotment under section 2411(a)(2) for a fiscal year—
(1)the State
educational agency may use the greater of $100,000 or 5 percent to carry out
activities under section 2414(a);
(2)the State
educational agency may use the greater of $50,000 or 2.5 percent to carry out
activities under section 2414(b); and
(3)the State
educational agency shall distribute the remainder as follows:
(A)60 percent shall
be used to award subgrants to local educational agencies for improving teaching
and learning through technology pursuant to section 2415(c) by allocating to
each eligible local educational agency that has submitted an application to the
State educational agency under such section, for the activities described in
section 2416(b), an amount that bears the same relationship to 50 percent of
the remainder for such year as the amount received under part A of title I for
such year by such local educational agency bears to the amount received under
such part for such year by all local educational agencies within the
State.
(B)40 percent shall
be used to award systemic school reform through technology integration
subgrants pursuant to section 2416(a), through a State-determined competitive
process, to eligible local educational agencies that have submitted
applications to the State educational agency under section 2415(b).
(b)
(1)In awarding subgrants under subsection (a)(3)(B), the State
educational agency shall—
(A)ensure grants are
of sufficient size and scope to be effective, consistent with the purposes of
this part;
(B)ensure grants are
of sufficient duration to be effective, consistent with the purposes of this
part, including by awarding grants that will run for at least 2 years and may
be renewed for up to a total of five years;
(C)give preference in
the awarding of grants to eligible local educational agencies that include
schools in need of improvement as identified under section 1116, including
those with high populations of students with limited English proficiency or
students with disabilities; and
(D)ensure an equitable
distribution of assistance under this subpart among urban and rural areas of
the State, according to the demonstrated need of those local educational
agencies serving the areas.
(2)The amount of any local educational agency’s allotment
under subsection (a)(3)(A) for any fiscal year may not be less than
$3,000.
(c)Reallotment of
unused fundsIf any local educational agency does not apply for
an allotment under this subpart for a fiscal year, or does not use its entire
allotment under this subpart for that fiscal year, the State shall reallot the
amount of the local educational agency’s allotment, or the unused portion of
the allotment, to the remaining local educational agencies that use their
entire allotments under this subpart in accordance with this section.
2413.
(a)To be eligible to receive a grant under this subpart, a
State educational agency shall submit to the Secretary, at such time and in
such manner as the Secretary may specify, an application containing the
contents described in subsection (b) and such other information as the
Secretary may reasonably require.
(b)Each
State application submitted under subsection (a) shall include each of the
following:
(1)A description of
how the State will support local grant recipients in meeting, and help improve
their capacity to meet, the purposes, goals, and requirements of this part,
including through technical assistance.
(2)A description of
the State’s long-term goals and strategies for improving student academic
achievement, including core curricular areas and technology literacy, through
the effective use of technology in classrooms and schools throughout the
State.
(3)A description of
the priority areas on which the State will focus its guidance, technical
assistance, and other local support under this part, as identified by the State
from among the core content areas, grade levels, and student subgroup
populations that may be causing the most number of local educational agencies
in the State to not make adequate yearly progress (as described in section
1111).
(4)A description of
how the State will support local grant recipients in implementing, and help
improve their capacity to implement, professional development programs pursuant
to section 2416(b)(1)(A).
(5)A description of
how the State will ensure that teachers, paraprofessionals, library and media
personnel, and administrators in the State are technologically literate.
(6)A description of
the process, activities, and performance measures that the State educational
agency will use to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of activities funded
under this part as required under section 2414(b).
(7)Identification of
the State challenging academic content standards and challenging student
academic achievement standards that the State will use to ensure that each
student is technology literate by the end of the 8th grade (consistent with the
definition of student technology literacy in section 2402), and a description
of how the State will assess student performance in gaining technology
literacy, except that—
(A)such assessment shall be used only to track
student technology literacy and not for purposes of determining adequate yearly
progress under section 1111; and
(B)nothing in this
part shall be construed as requiring a State to develop a separate test to
measure student technology literacy, as assessment may be embedded in other
State tests or performance-based assessments portfolios, or made through other
valid and reliable means.
(8)An assurance that
financial assistance provided under this subpart will supplement, and not
supplant, State and local funds.
(9)A description of
how the State educational agency will, in providing technical and other
assistance to local educational agencies, give priority to those identified by
the State in the highest need of assistance, including those with the highest
percentage or number of students from families with incomes below the poverty
line, students not achieving at the State proficiency level with student
populations identified under section 2412(b)(1)(C), or schools identified as in
need of improvement under section 1116.
(10)A description of
how the State educational agency will ensure that each subgrant awarded under
section 2412(a) is of sufficient size, scope, and duration to be effective as
required under section 2412(b), and that such subgrants are appropriately
targeted and equitably distributed as required under section 2412(b) to carry
out the purposes of this part effectively.
(11)A description of
how the State educational agency consulted with local educational agencies in
the development of the State application.
2414.
(a)From funds made available under section 2412(a)(1), a
State educational agency—
(1)shall—
(A)identify the State
challenging academic content standards and challenging student academic
achievement standards that the State will use to ensure that each student is
technology literate by the end of the 8th grade (consistent with the definition
of student technology literacy in section 2402);
(B)assess at least once by the end of the 8th
grade student performance in gaining technology literacy consistent with
subparagraph (A), including through embedding such assessment items in other
State tests, performance-based assessment portfolios, or through other means,
except that—
(i)such assessments
shall be used only to track student technology literacy and not for purposes of
determining adequate yearly progress under section 1111; and
(ii)nothing in this
part shall be construed as requiring a State to develop a separate test to
measure student technology literacy;
(C)provide guidance,
technical assistance and other support in the priority areas identified by the
State pursuant to section 2413(b)(3) to local educational agencies receiving
grants of under $10,000 under section 2412(a)(3)(A), with a priority given to
those in highest need of assistance pursuant to section 2413(b)(9);
(D)provide technical
assistance to local educational agencies (with a priority given to those
identified by the State as being the most in need of assistance, including
those with the highest percentage or number of students from families with
incomes below the poverty line, students not achieving at the State proficiency
level, with student populations identified under section 2412(b)(1)(C) and
schools identified as in need of improvement under section 1116) in—
(i)submitting
applications for funding under this part;
(ii)carrying out
activities authorized under section 2416, including implementation of systemic
school reforms as described in section 2415(b); and
(iii)developing local
educational technology plans and integrating such plans with their plans for
improving student achievement under sections 1111 and 1112 and, if applicable,
section 1116; and
(E)provide guidance, technical assistance, and
other support to local educational agencies on their plans to update computers
and servers, including the types of functionalities that elementary and
secondary schools should seek in purchasing new computers and servers and the
amount of time that schools should use computers and servers before replacing
them; and
(2)may carry out the
following activities:
(A)State leadership
activities and technical assistance that assist recipients of funds under this
part in achieving the purposes and goals of this part.
(B)Assisting
recipients of funds under this part in the development and utilization of
research-based or innovative strategies for the delivery of specialized or
rigorous academic courses and curricula through the use of technology,
including distance learning technologies.
(C)Assisting
recipients of funds under this subpart in providing sustained and intensive,
high-quality professional development pursuant to section 2416(b)(1)(A),
including through assistance in a review of relevant research.
(b)From
funds made available under section 2412(a)(2), a State educational agency shall
carry out one or more of the following activities:
(1)Conducting
scientifically based or other rigorous research to evaluate the impact of one
or more programs or activities authorized under this part in meeting the
purposes and goals of this part.
(2)Providing
technical assistance to eligible local educational agencies in carrying out
evaluation research activities as required under section 2416(a)(1).
(3)Creating one or
more evaluation research protocols, designs, performance measurement systems or
other tools to assist eligible local educational agencies in carrying out
evaluation activities as required under section 2416(a)(1).
(4)Collecting and
disseminating the findings of the evaluation research carried out by eligible
local educational agencies under section 2416(a)(1).
2415.
(a)To be eligible to receive a subgrant from a State
educational agency under this subpart, a local educational agency, or
consortium of local educational agencies, shall submit to the State educational
agency an application containing a new or updated local long-range strategic
educational technology plan, and such other information as the State
educational agency may reasonably require, at such time and in such manner as
the State educational agency may require, which shall include each of the
following:
(1)A description of
how the applicant will align and coordinate its use of funds under this part to
the district technology plan, to the district plans and activities for
improving student achievement, including under sections 1111, 1112, and if
applicable, section 1116, and to funds available from other Federal, State and
local sources.
(2)An assurance that
financial assistance provided under this subpart will supplement, and not
supplant other existing funds.
(3)A description of plans to regularly replace
computers and servers that lack the functional capabilities to process new
online applications and services, including video conferencing, video
streaming, virtual simulations, and distance learning courses.
(4)Such other
information as the State educational agency may reasonably require.
(b)Competitive
grants for systemic school reform through technology
integrationIn addition to components included in subsection (a),
eligible local educational agencies or consortiums of local educational
agencies submitting application for a grant under section 2412(a)(3)(B) shall
submit to the State educational agency an application containing the
following:
(1)A description of
how the applicant will use grant funds to implement systemic school reform,
which is a comprehensive set of programs, practices, and technologies that
collectively lead to school or agency change and improvement, including in the
use of technology, and in improved student achievement and that incorporate all
of the following elements:
(A)Reform or redesign
of curriculum, instruction, assessment, use of data, or other school or
classroom practices through the use of technology, including to increase
student learning opportunity, technology literacy, access, and
engagement.
(B)Improve educator
quality, knowledge, and skills through on-going, sustainable, timely, and
contextual professional development pursuant to section 2416(b)(1)(A).
(C)Develop student
technology literacy and other skills necessary for 21st century learning and
success.
(D)On-going use of
formative assessments and other timely data sources and data systems to more
effectively identify individual student learning needs and guide personalized
instruction and learning and appropriate interventions that address those
personalized student learning needs.
(E)Engagement of
agency and school leaders, as well as classroom educators.
(F)Are either
research-based, innovative, or both, such that research-based systemic reforms
are based on a review of the best available research evidence, and innovative
systemic reforms are based on development and use of new reforms, programs,
practices and technologies.
(2)An assurance that
the applicant will use at least 25 percent of funds to implement a program of
professional development pursuant to section 2416(b)(1)(A).
(3)A description of
how the applicant will evaluate the impact of one or more programs or
activities authorized under this part in meeting one or more of the purposes
and goals of this part.
(c)Formula grants for
improving teaching and learning through technologyIn addition to
components included in subsection (a), eligible local educational agencies or
consortiums of local educational agencies that submit an application for a
grant under section 2412(a)(3)(A) shall submit to the State educational agency
an application containing the following:
(1)An assurance that
the applicant will use at least 40 percent of funds for professional
development pursuant to section 2416(b)(1)(A) and for technology tools,
applications, and other resources related specifically to such professional
development activities.
(2)A description of
how the applicant will implement a program of professional development as
required under paragraph (1).
(3)A description of
how the local educational agency will employ technology tools, applications,
and other resources in professional development and to improve student learning
and achievement in the areas of priority identified by the local educational
agency pursuant to paragraph (4).
(4)A description of
the priority areas upon which the local educational agency will focus its grant
funds under this part, such that such priority areas shall be identified from
among the core content areas, grade levels and student subgroup populations in
which the most number of students are not proficient.
(d)An eligible local educational agency that submits an
application to the State educational agency for funds awarded under section
2412(a)(3)(B) may, upon notice to the State educational agency, submit a single
application that will also be considered by the State educational agency as an
application for funds awarded under section 2412(a)(3)(A), if the application
addresses each application requirement.
(e)For any fiscal year, a local educational agency
applying for financial assistance described in section 2412(a)(3) may apply as
part of a consortium in which more than one local educational agencies jointly
submits a grant application under this part.
2416.
(a)Competitive
grants for systemic school reform through technology
integrationFrom funds made available to a local educational
agency under section 2412(a)(3)(B), the local educational agency—
(1)shall use at least
5 percent of funds to evaluate the impact of one or more programs or activities
carried out under this grant in meeting one or more of the purposes and goals
of this part as approved by the State educational agency as part of the local
application as described under section 2415(b)(4);
(2)shall use the
remaining funds to implement a plan for systemic school reform pursuant to
section 2415(b)(1), including—
(A)using at least 25
percent of funds to improve teacher quality and skills through support
for—
(i)professional
development activities described in subsection (b)(1)(A); and
(ii)the acquisition
and implementation of technology tools, applications and other resources to be
employed in the professional development activities described in paragraphs
(i);
(B)acquiring and
effectively implementing technology tools, applications and other resources in
conjunction with enhancing or redesigning the curriculum or instruction in
order to—
(i)increase student
learning opportunity or access, student engagement in learning, or student
attendance or graduation rates;
(ii)improve student
achievement in one or more of the core academic subject areas; and
(iii)improve student
technology literacy; and
(C)acquiring and
effectively implementing technology tools, applications, and other resources
to—
(i)conduct on-going
formative assessment and use other timely data sources and data systems to more
effectively identify individual students learning needs and guide personalized
instruction, learning and appropriate interventions that address those
personalized student learning needs;
(ii)support individualized student learning,
including through instructional software and digital content that supports the
learning needs of each student, or through providing access to high-quality
courses and instructors, including math, science and foreign language courses,
often not available except through technology and online learning, especially
in rural and high-poverty schools; and
(iii)such other
activities as appropriate consistent with the goals and purposes of
research-based and innovative systemic school reform, including to increase
parental involvement through improved communication with teachers and access to
student assignments and grades.
(b)Formula grants
for improving teaching and learning through technologyFrom funds
made available to a local educational agency under section 2412(a)(3)(A), the
local educational agency shall carry out activities to improve student
learning, technology literacy, and achievement in the area of priority
identified by the State under section 2413(b)(1), including the
following:
(1)Use of at least 40
percent of such funds for professional development to improve teacher quality
and skills through support for—
(A)training of
teachers, paraprofessionals, library and media personnel, and administrators
that—
(i)shall include the
development, acquisition or delivery of—
(I)training that is
on-going, sustainable, timely, and directly related to current teaching content
areas;
(II)training in
strategies and pedagogy in the core curriculum areas that involve use of
technology and curriculum redesign as key components of changing teaching and
learning and improving student achievement;
(III)training in the
use of technology to ensure every educator is technologically literate,
including possessing the knowledge and skills to use technology across the
curriculum, to use technology and curriculum redesign as key components of
innovating teaching and learning and improving student achievement, to use
technology for data analysis to enable individualized instruction, and to use
technology to improve student technology literacy; and
(IV)training that
includes on-going communication and follow-up with instructors, facilitators,
and peers; and
(ii)may
include—
(I)use of
instructional technology specialists, mentors or coaches to work directly with
teachers, including through the preparing of one or more teachers as technology
leaders or master teachers who are provided with the means to serve as experts
and train other teachers in the effective use of technology; and
(II)use of technology
such as distance learning and online virtual educator-to-educator peer
communities as a means for delivering professional development; and
(B)the acquisition
and implementation of technology tools, applications, and other resources to be
employed in the professional development activities described in subparagraph
(A).
(2)Use of the
remaining funds to acquire or implement technology tools, applications and
other resources to improve student learning, technology literacy and
achievement in the areas of priority identified by the local educational
agency, including one or more of the following:
(A)Conducting
on-going formative assessment and using other timely data sources and data
systems to more effectively identify individual students learning needs and
guide personalized instruction, learning and appropriate interventions that
address those personalized student learning needs.
(B)Supporting
individualized student learning, including through instructional software and
digital content that supports the learning needs of each student, or through
providing access to high-quality courses and instructors including math,
science and foreign language courses.
(C)Increasing
parental involvement through improved communication with teachers and access to
student assignments and grades.
(D)Enhancing
accountability, instruction and data-driven decision making through data
systems that allow for management, analysis and disaggregating of student,
teacher and school data.
(E)Such other
activities as appropriate consistent with the goals and purposes of this
part.
(c)Local educational agencies receiving grant awards under
section 2412(a)(3)(A) and section 2412(a)(3)(B) may use all such funds for
activities authorized under subsection (a).
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2421.From the amount
made available to carry out national activities under section 2403(b)(1), the
Secretary shall carry out the following activities:
(1)The Secretary shall annually conduct a national study on
student technology literacy to determine the extent to which students have
gained technology literacy, as defined in section 2402 by the end of the 8th
grade. In conducting the study, the Secretary shall—
(A)consult first with
experts and stakeholders, including educators and education leaders, education
technology experts from education and industry, and the business and higher
education communities seeking high school graduates with these skills;
and
(B)employ a random
stratified sample methodology of student technology literacy performance using
an existing assessment instrument.
(2)National
Education Technology PlanThe Secretary shall update at least
once every five years the National Education Technology Plan to promote
understanding and awareness of the role of technology and e-learning in meeting
the Nation’s education goals and needs.
(3)Other National
ActivitiesFrom the remaining funds, the Secretary shall carry
out one or more of the following activities:
(A)Supporting efforts
to increase student technology literacy as defined in section 2402.
(B)Supporting and
disseminating research to examine and identify the conditions and practices
that support the effective use of technology in education to improve teaching,
learning, teacher quality, student achievement, student technology literacy,
and the efficiency and productivity of the education enterprise.
(C)Supporting efforts
to increase the capacity of State and local education officials to budget for
technology acquisition and implementation, including taking into account the
long-term costs, how technology investments could increase effectiveness and
efficiencies that ultimately save other educational costs or provide improved
outcomes, and how spending for technology in education should be considered in
a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and not simply as a supplemental
expense.
(D)Supporting staff
at the Department of Education and other Federal agencies in their
understanding of education technology, its role in Federal education programs,
and how Federal grantees can be supported in integrating education technologies
into their programs as appropriate.
(E)Convening
stakeholders in an effort to outline and support a national research and
development agenda aimed at supporting public-private partnerships to leverage
evolving technologies to meet evolving educational needs.
(F)Convening
practitioners and leaders from local and State education, business and
industry, higher education, and other stakeholder communities to carry out the
activities described in this paragraph, including convening an annual forum on
classroom technology best practices, and to otherwise address challenges and
opportunities in the use of technology to improve teaching, learning, teacher
quality, student achievement, student technology literacy, the efficiency and
productivity of the education enterprise and to otherwise support school
innovation and the Nation’s
competitiveness.
.