Washington, D.C. — Over 51 education technology leaders from 21 states met with policymakers last week to discuss actionable policies that will provide much-needed support for equitable and secure student success. As Congress considers legislation to lead the U.S. out of this pandemic and into a sustainable and thriving future, it has never been more important for the edtech community to make their voices heard.

Leaders who participated in the 2022 EdTech Advocacy Day heard from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner Nathan Simington and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, and met with officials from the U.S. Department of Education.

The participants then headed to Capitol Hill to meet with their Senators and Representatives about supporting policies to ensure a safe transition to a post-pandemic world, connect all students, close the “homework gap,” fund edtech and related professional learning opportunities and protect student data privacy.

“It was so rewarding to return to face-to-face discussions with our colleagues from the edtech community, the Hill and government agencies," said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. "To have more than 70 Hill visits scheduled showed the interest from all parties about better understanding how to serve K-12 learners. Hearing directly from the FCC about their commitment and vision to support our school systems/learners provided an excellent jumping-off point for legislator meetings.”

Joseph South, ISTE chief learning officer, said the pandemic has made it clearer than ever that technology tools are essential, but not enough. "We need to help educators learn to apply powerful digital pedagogy, and that requires a strong vision and targeted investments on every level, including the federal level. This was a chance for those educators most impacted by federal policy decisions to make their voices heard before those who were elected to represent them at the highest levels in our country.” 

Julia Fallon, executive director of SETDA, said: "While the last two years have shined a spotlight on the broadband equity-access issues that existed prior to the pandemic, we cannot waste the substantial investments that have accelerated the shift to digital learning environments. These advocacy events help us keep federal policymakers informed and provide an opportunity to encourage them to continue to support the initiatives that connect students to their classrooms and teachers from any location – at school, at home and in their communities.”

“We are incredibly proud of the partnerships our edtech members form to help America’s students. Working side by side with educators, school administrators and others last week as a unified voice in DC serves as a reminder to policymakers that digital equity, connectivity and privacy are so very important,” said SIIA President Jeff Joseph. “We will continue to work to amplify the voices of those championing these issues nationwide.”

This year’s annual summit, which was led by CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking), ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education), SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association) and SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association), was held virtually in March and in-person for the first time since 2019 on May 12.

To speak with senior representatives from CoSN, ISTE, SETDA or SIIA, please contact Pam Golden at pam@glapr.com.

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. ISTE sets a bold vision for education transformation through the ISTE Standards, a framework for students, educators, administrators, coaches and computer science educators to rethink education and create innovative learning environments. ISTE hosts ISTELive, one of the world’s most influential annual edtech events. The organization’s professional learning offerings include online courses, professional networks, year-round academies, peer-reviewed journals and other publications. ISTE is also the leading publisher of books focused on technology in education. For more information or to become an ISTE member, visit iste.org. Subscribe to ISTE’s YouTube channel and connect with ISTE on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. dev.iste.org

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 SETDA 

Founded in 2001, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. www.setda.org.

About SIIA

SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 700 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing, and health technology companies. Our ed tech membership develops and delivers software applications, digital instructional content, online and distance learning services, online assessment, and related technologies for millions of learners around the world. For more information, visit www.siia.net.