WASHINGTON, D.C., March 21, 2018 — The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a national nonprofit that aims to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation, applauded the U.S. House’s and Senate’s fiscal year 2018 spending package for supporting ample funding for edtech and America’s teachers.

The fiscal year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill included $1.1 billion in funding for Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Title IV is a program known as Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE). It includes funds for “supporting the effective use of technology that is backed by professional development, blended learning and edtech devices.”

The House also maintained funding for Title II-A of ESSA, which is designed “to provide students from low-income families and minority students with greater access to effective educators” through quality professional learning experiences.

Richard Culatta, CEO, ISTE, says, “This bill is a victory for America’s students who need teachers that are skilled in using technology to prepare them to thrive in a digitally connected world.” 

“Every student has a right to a skilled teacher who knows how to use technology to support their learning needs. ISTE led a two-year effort to help lawmakers understand the importance of both the SSAE grant program under Title IV-A and the Title II-A professional learning grant program. We are grateful for Congress’ support and look forward to this bill’s passage by both Houses of Congress and enactment by President Trump.”

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About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a membership organization serving educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. ISTE serves more than 100,000 education stakeholders throughout the world.

Innovative offerings include the widely adopted ISTE Standards for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age - as well as the ISTE Conference & Expo -the world's most comprehensive edtech event. The organization's robust suite of professional learning resources feature online courses, consulting services for schools and districts, books, and peer-reviewed journals and publications. For more information, visit iste.org. Subscribe to ISTE's YouTube channel and connect with ISTE on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.