[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TEACHER TECHNOLOGY TRAINING ACT

  (Mrs. MORELLA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation that 
will provide teachers with the technology training that they need to 
meet the classroom challenges of the 21st Century.
  The Teacher Technology Training Act would include technology, teacher 
training and professional development programs that are authorized 
under the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act of 1994.
  What it would do is it would require states to incorporate technology 
requirements in teacher training content and performance standards. We 
certainly do need this. During the 104th Congress, language was 
included in the Telecommunications Act to provide affordable access to 
the Internet for our Nation's schools.
  Well, with all its possibilities, technology alone cannot improve our 
system of education. It could be just a useless baby-sitter, providing 
little educational benefit, without the help of the classroom teacher.
  The classroom teacher is the key to success in bringing technology 
into our schools. All too often, however, teachers are expected to 
incorporate technology into the classroom, without even being given the 
training to do so.
  So this bill would require that they have it. It costs no money. It 
would be included, and our classrooms must have teachers who know how 
to use technology in order for our children to succeed into the next 
century.
  I hope my colleagues will join in cosponsoring this important 
legislation.

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