Dozens of school technology leaders nationwide will convene in Washington, D.C., tomorrow and Thursday with an important message: strengthen and advance America’s education technology policies.
 
Led by CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking), ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education) and SETDA (the State Educational Technology Directors Association), participants of the Ed Tech Advocacy and Policy Summit 2019 will meet with Congressional offices in both the House and Senate, as well as representatives from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Education. The main areas of focus will be increasing educational investment, preserving the E-rate program and its beneficial modernization, as well as addressing efforts to protect student data privacy.
 
Tracy Weeks, SETDA Executive Director notes, “This summit provides the opportunity for policymakers to hear actual stories of how federal policy is in action in local schools, districts and states directly from educators. They can learn what is working and how we can all make better policy that will benefit students across the country.” 
 
“With new players in Washington, there has been a lot of change since last year’s summit. The new landscape means it is especially critical that policymakers and administration officials understand technology’s central role in enhancing the learning experience,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.
 
Over the course of the two-day summit, attendees will:
 
  • Take part in briefings and discussions on key policy issues and the impact on their communities and states;
  • Engage in face-to-face meetings in Congress and at the Department of Education and the FCC; and
  • Network and share best practices with ed tech peers from across the country.
 
“Educators from across the country will have a unique opportunity to sit down with members of Congress and advocate for their educational technology priorities this year. With 100 new members, including a record number of women, Congress looks more like everyday Americans and are prepared to listen to our voices. We look forward to supporting these passionate educators as they advocate for our nation’s students,” said ISTE Chief Learning Officer Joseph South.
 
Senior representatives from CoSN, ISTE and SETDA are available to speak with the media. If you are interested, please contact Michael Kaplun (mkaplun@fratelli.com).
 
To learn more about the summit, as well as the priority policy issues, visit here.
 
About CoSN 
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org
 
About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation. Our worldwide network believes in the potential technology holds to transform teaching and learning. Learn more at: www.iste.org.
 
About SETDA
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), founded in 2001, is the national non-profit association representing the interests of U.S. state and territorial educational technology leadership. SETDA’s mission is to build and increase the capacity of state and national leaders to improve education through technology policy and practice. For more information, please visit www.setda.org.