April 2007 — News

Print this article

Click here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal

Report: States Fill In for Feds in Ed Tech

by Dave Nagel

Federal funding for technology in K-12 schools has declined drastically since 2002, but states are stepping in to cover the deficit, providing districts with line items within state budgets and offering alternatives for schools and districts to purchase technology. This according to a report released this month by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), "State Educational Technology Funding Report: State of the States."

In the report, SETDA states, "Technology is the tool that has changed the way the world works. To address the issues related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and 21st century skills, the role of technology, specifically in education, must be at the forefront. Despite the lack of Federal funding and attention to 21st century learning and STEM, there is a wide range of activity from state legislatures in ensuring students are prepared for a technology-driven society."

According tot he report, "Federal funding through the NCLB Title II Part D for educational technology decreased 28 percent from $635 million in fiscal year 2004 to $462 million in fiscal year 2005 and to $272 [million] in fiscal year 2006. Although the role of NCLB II D funding varies across states, NCLB II Part D provides a significant percentage of educational technology funding in almost all states. The lack of federal funding for educational technology directly impacts states’ ability to provide funding for educational technology to the local school districts."

 

Thirty-three percent of states, according to SETDA, report that NCLB Title II Part D funds are the only source of funds that state education agencies award to school districts for technology, while 43 percent said that the NCLB Title II Part D funds are the "primary source of funds that the state education agency awards to school districts for technology."