For 30 years, CoSN has advocated on behalf of the interests of hundreds of K-12 school districts for better, safer, and stronger education technology. Look below to see how CoSN has evolved over the past 30 years.

  • 2001

    framework of essential skills

    Inaugural Launch of CTO Council, Advocacy Day, and International Symposium

    International Symposium Becomes Part of CoSN Conference: CoSN launched the International Symposium as a component of the annual CoSN Conference to promote a global exchange on key issues and the use of technology in K-12 schools.

    CTO Council Launched: CoSN launched the School District Chief Technology Officers (CTO) Council whose purpose is to develop professional development resources for school district technology leaders. Over time they have developed a Framework of Essential Skills for District CTO’s.

    Advocacy Day is Launched: With the 2001 conference, Web of Change, CoSN initiated a pre-conference advocacy day to provide educators with training and with the opportunity to speak directly with their Congressional representatives regarding the importance of continued support for EdTech funding.

    Board Chair: Jim Hirsch

  • 2002

    australia cosn trip 008

    CoSN Delegation to Australia in 2004

    CoSN Leads First U.S Delegation to Europe

    The first CoSN-led U.S. Delegation to Europe focused on cross-national issues around the effective use of technology in elementary and secondary education. Global leadership on education technology becomes a hallmark of CoSN over coming years.

    Conference Continues to Meet the Needs of K-12: The 2002 conference focused on Leadership for the Digital School: Challenges, Implications & Opportunities

    Board Chair: Jim Hirsch

  • keith becomes ceo

    Keith Krueger, CEO

    Keith Krueger is Designated as CoSN's Full-Time CEO!

    CoSN ended its association management contract with Nonprofit Management, Inc. and hired Keith Krueger as its full-time CEO employee.

  • 2003

     

     

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    cyber

    CoSN Launches Several Initiatives as Committees Grow

    Data-Driven Decision Making Initiative Launched: CoSN’s 3D: Vision to Know & Do leadership initiative on Data-Driven Decision Making was launched, providing a high-quality resource on a timely topic.

    Cyber Security for the Digital District Leadership Launched: In partnership with Mass Networks Education Partnership, CoSN launched the Cyber Security for the Digital District leadership initiative to help educators better understand the issue of cyber security of educational networks.

    Publication of the annual Compendium Launched: CoSN began publication of the annual Compendium, consisting of monographs exploring timely issues of importance to K-12 technology decision makers.

    Emerging Technologies Committee Created: This CoSN committee was charged with the task of providing information about emerging technologies to the education community in the form of white papers, press events, and webcasts. Reports on Wireless LANs, Handheld Technologies and Hot Trends in Technology received widespread acclaim.

  • etan image

    ETAN IS FORMED

    Focus Increases on Achievement, Assessment, & Accountability

    ETAN Formed: Education Technology Action Network, a joint effort of CoSN and ISTE, was launched in the fall. Its purpose was to educate Congress with information in support of wise EdTech policy.

    CoSN Dives into Achievement, Assessment & Accountability: The CoSN 2003 conference focused on the theme of Achievement, Assessment & Accountability

    Webcasts Launched: CoSN launched a regular series of webcasts on key technology leadership issues.

    Board Chair: Bob Moore

  • 2004

    2003 picture

    Gerry White (Australia's National Education Network) & CEO Keith Krueger

    Global Collaboration and Leadership Continues!

    Global Collaboration and Leadership Continues: CoSN led a U.S. delegation to Australia, further extending the organization’s leadership on global educational technology collaboration.

    CoSN's 9th Annual Conference Focused primarily on Personalization and Empowerment: No Child Left Behind and Technology.

    Texas Becomes the First Official CoSN State Chapter: Following a successful Beta launch in 2003 to create a CoSN Chapter System, Texas becomes the First official CoSN State Chapter in 2004!

    Board Chair: Bob Moore

  • 2005

    10th annual conference photo

    CoSN Keeps Growing!

    CoSN Launched the Accessible Technologies for All Students leadership initiative.

    CoSN hosted its 10th Annual Conference!

    Board Chair: Sheryl Abshire

  • 2006

    seymour papert

    Seymour Papert

    CoSN's Honored Seymour Papert with its First Lifetime Achievement Award

    First Lifetime Achievement Award: CoSN gave the first Lifetime Achievement Award to Seymour Papert, later naming the ongoing award in his honor.

    CoSN launchd the Open Technologies and Value of Investment initiatives.

    Board Chair: Sheryl Abshire

  • 2007

    2007 pic first conference outside dc

    15 Years of CoSN!

    Celebrated 15 years on the West Coast! CoSN celebrated its 15 year anniversary and held its first annual conference outside of Washington, DC in San Francisco, CA.

    Board Chair: Sheryl Abshire

  • 2008

    a whole new mind

    Daniel Pink with Sheryl Abshire

    CoSN Received the MacArthur Grant/New PSA Launched with the Pearson Foundation

    CoSN received the MacArthur Grant: Exploring Policy and Leadership Barriers to Effective Use of Web 2.0 in Schools.

    CoSN and Pearson Foundation launched a new PSA, Learning to Change/Changing to Learn, to spotlight the transformative role of technology in K-12 education.

    CoSN hosted their annual conference in Washington, DC, with guest speaker Daniel Pink, Author of A Whole New Mind.

    Board Chair: Katie Lovett

  • 2009

    horizon report 2009

    learning to change changing to learn 2009

    Stephen Heppell and other global experts

    New Initiatives, New Toolkits, and trips to Rome, Scotland, and the Netherlands

    Horizon K-12 Report Launched: CoSN partners with New Media Consortium to launch first-ever annual Horizon K-12 report on emerging technologies.

    CoSN received a renewal grant from the MacArthur Foundation for work on Web 2.0 Policies/Leadership.

    CoSN launched Mastering the Moment, a toolkit to help education technology leaders be a leader in times of economic distress.

    CoSN initiated use of a number of Web 2.0 tools to better serve members (Twitter, CoSN Community, etc.)

    CoSN issues a refreshed the Framework for Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO (v. 2.0)

    CoSN hosted a joint International Symposium with European Schoolnet and Australia’s education.au in Rome. CoSN also organized a senior delegation to Scotland and the Netherlands.

    CoSN held its annual conference, Leadership, Policy, & Innovation in a Collaborative World, in Austin, TX.

  • 2010

    2010 conference logo

    CoSN Hits Major Landmarks

    CoSN received funding from NSF to build a CTO certification based on the Framework of Essential Skills.

    CoSN won a contract for Connected Online Communities of Practice (CoP). This was an effort as part of implementation of U.S. National Education Technology Plan. 

    The 15th Annual Conference held in Washington, DC, focused on Innovation, Ingenuity, and Insight.

    CoSN sent a senior delegation to London/Paris, including visits to OECD and UNESCO.

Click below to see how CoSN evolved over the next decade (or go back in time in case you missed anything).