July 2004 — SETDA
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Illinois: Building Support for Illinois' 'Digital Age Learning' Technology Plan
The "Digital Age Learning" five-year state technology plan is the cornerstone of the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) effort to restore momentum to its technology programs and initiatives. Approved in November 2002, the plan called for funding support of $21.2 million per year. Despite ISBE's continued emphasis on the importance of technology in schools, this area of education funding has repeatedly been cut by the state over the last three years (see chart below).
Several months after ISBE first adopted its five-year plan, recently elected Gov. Rod Blagojevich unveiled his fiscal year 2004 budget. Absent from the budget was any technology funding for schools. What started as a potentially disastrous situation for the previous progress made in education technology within Illinois schools, resulted in a collaborative effort that reinvigorated the parties who understood and supported the importance of technology in schools and, consequently, reinstated some of the funds. Over the course of several months, legislators and the governor's office agreed with advocates who recognized the importance of educational technology funding and restored $11.5 million to the technology program in the 2004 budget.
The Illinois Computing Educators (ICE), an organizational affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education, helped to inform the school districts of the situation and suggested actions that could be taken to change the funding. The Learning Technology Centers/Regional Office of Education also helped to increase awareness about the importance of technology funds for schools. Through this combined effort, the Illinois General Assembly recognized the importance for technology funds in education and restored $11.5 million not only for mainframe computers, but also to prepare students and teachers for the 21st century.
However, ISBE was still left with a 50% decrease in funding. The cuts were understandable as lawmakers attempted to focus available dollars on general state aid for schools at a time when the state was dealing with a multibillion dollar budget deficit. Nevertheless, the cuts were still difficult to grapple with since they came just months after the state board approved the state technology plan. However, the restored $11.5 million did result in the following:
- Retention of e-learning staff members;
- Funding for the Learning Technology Centers (LTC), which provide technology support for local schools; and
- Funding of the Illinois Virtual High School at the same level as the previous year.
The funding cuts, oddly enough, helped energize other groups to get involved with the state technology initiatives for local schools. Many different factions of people emerged and, in concert, voiced their concern for Illinois to have a 21st century economy. These individuals included parents, taxpayers, senior citizens, businessmen, legislators, and even students. They recognized that schools must do more to enhance teaching and learning through the use of technology than simply teach the core of education. While the core of education obviously is critically important, students must also utilize technology to communicate, collaborate and create. This coalition realized that their involvement in raising awareness about educational technology funding was essential for any progress in education.
The reality, however, is that partial restoration of the technology funds from the state d'es not meet the needs of local schools. The Digital Age Learning Plan from ISBE called for 20 times as much funding.
