Alert...write your elected officials.

URGENT: Tell Congress to Support “the Most Sweeping Effort to Modernize Schools” in History
Last week, President-Elect Obama outlined his economic recovery plan in his weekly address to the nation. His remarks included, “my economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.”

Now is the time for all ETAN members to contact Congress with their support for President-Elect Obama’s vision for our nation’s schools and request that Congress include funding for classroom technology and school broadband access in the economic recovery package. Congress is at the initial stage of drafting this legislation. It is crucial that they hear from YOU and YOUR COLLEAGUES NOW!

Now, for the first time in many years, we have a real opportunity to upgrade our schools’ broadband connectivity and bring to scale proven education technology initiatives. Moreover, a school technology investment can jump-start the economy by adding public and private sector instructional technology coaches and IT support positions and can energize the technology and telecommunications sectors.

Don’t delay telling Congress how much our schools, our students and our nation need this support. Click here to write a letter to your congressional representatives in support of President-Elect Obama’s vision.
Source: http://capwiz.com/edtech/issues/alert/?alertid=11361201&type=CO&azip=78247

My confirmation…

Confirmation

Your e-mail message was sent to:

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)

Representative Lamar S. Smith (R-TX 21st)

Sample letter:

I urge you to support President-Elect Obama’s vision to use the economic
recovery legislation to invest in school technology for teaching and
learning and connecting all classrooms via broadband. This strategy will
stimulate the economy, modernize our schools and help America regain its
competitive edge. Now is the time to make these investments as part of
the economic recovery package.

A significant infusion of funds for school technology and broadband access
will help to jumpstart the economy as well as advance our schools into
21st century learning environments. Over the past several years, federal
funding for education technology and connectivity under No Child Left
Behind has been slashed. The Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT)
program, which supports school purchases of hardware, software, data
storage and professional development, is currently receiving only $267.4
million annually, dramatically down from its high water mark of $700
million. Likewise, the E-Rate program, which provides discounts to schools
and libraries on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal
connections, is capped at $2.25 billion annually, more than $1 billion
less than annual demand. The funding challenges of EETT and E-Rate have
hamstrung the ability of schools to bring to scale proven technology
initiatives and prevented many from acquiring bandwidth sufficient to make
use of high quality digital applications and services, including
videoconferencing.

Inadequate federal support for education technology is particularly
disappointing as both EETT and E-Rate have proven records of success.
Recent US Department of Education studies show that properly implemented
school technology initiatives can and do lead to improved student academic
performance. Moreover, since its inception in 1998, the E-Rate has helped
connect to the Internet all public schools and more than 95% of all
instructional classrooms.

President-Elect Obama is offering this nation a real vision and a real
opportunity to create 21st century learning. We can connect all of our
schools via broadband and scale proven school technology investments.
Moreover, the Obama vision will jump-start the economy by adding high
skilled public and private sector instructional technology coaching and IT
support positions and energize the technology and telecommunications
sectors. I support this vision and hope you will do everything you can to
make it reality.

Please support including substantial funding in the forthcoming economic
recovery legislation for education technology and broadband connectivity.
Our children – and the nation – cannot afford to waste this chance to
improve our schools and our economy.

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