About This Initiative

CoSN has long recognized that superintendents can make or break technology initiatives. For example, in a nationwide survey of 455 technology decision makers, CoSN found that visionary technology leadership—and the community support fostered by district leaders—made the difference in districts that were able to bolster their technology plans, budgets and implementation. The report of these findings, Digital Leadership Divide, can be found here (PDF).

Now, with this report, CoSN is updating Empowering the 21st Century Superintendent, an initiative dedicated to helping superintendents, aspiring superintendents and district leadership teams build their knowledge, skills and confidence as effective technology leaders. This report highlights five themes and action steps for technology leadership, which emerged from CoSN’s extensive conversations with superintendents and from topics that are gaining national—and international—interest among educators, parents, policymakers and the business community:

“The superintendent must have the vision, and then it’s the superintendent’s job to put the support and resources, both financial and personnel, in place to reach that vision.” 

—Kevin Case
Superintendent
Inman Unified School District, KS

Five Themes for Technology Leadership

• Strengthen District Leadership and Communications
• Raise the Bar with 21st Century Skills
• Transform Pedagogy with Compelling Learning Environments
• Support Professional Development and Communities of Practice
• Create Balanced Assessments

On this Web site dedicated to the initiative you will find additional – and evolving – opportunities to learn and collaborate with your peers. 

• Self-assessment and district team assessment tools that will help you identify your progress and next steps in these five themes.

• Additional resources to support you in improving your district technology leadership.

Plus, CoSN’s “Framework of Essential Skills of the K–12 CTO” can help you, your district technology leader/CTO/CIO develop a range of skills and abilities to work effectively as district technology—and educational—leaders. 

Technology leadership presents special challenges for superintendents for good reasons. More...

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