2008 National Trends Report

2008 National Trends Report Trifold

2008 National Trends Report Trifold-Print Friendly

2008 Individual State Profile Reports
The 2008 Individual State Profile Reports are available on each state's individual page on SETDA's website. Please view the State Members Map, click on a state and download their individual state profile report PDF.

Executive Summary

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is pleased to release its fifth annual
National Trends Report on the use of federal funds to support educational technology. This report
documents findings from Round 5 (FY 06) of the No Child Left Behind, Title II, Part D, Enhancing
Education Through Technology (NCLB IID) program.

The findings in the Round 5 report are based on surveys from 50 states and the District of Columbia,
representing 15,962 LEAs and the federal NCLB IID dollars allocated across the United States in FY06.
Data from the first four annual National Trends Reports for Rounds 1-4 are included for comparisons. In
Round 5, the respondent states and the District of Columbia awarded 1,096 competitive grants and 11,407
formula grants that together with the funds allocated for SEA program administration (5% or less)
represent $253 million in funds expended at the state education agency (SEA) level. (Note, that figure
does not include the U.S. territories allocations for NCLB IID.)

This year s SETDA National Trends Report is about scaling back, prioritizing, researching, leveraging,
and expanding successful practices. With funding cut from $461 million in Round 4 (FY05) to $253
million in Round 5 (FY06), states found it necessary to make hard choices about priorities. Most states
concentrated on professional development and leadership, as these were recognized as the elements of
school programs that have the most sustainable effects. In addition, states focused on specific programs,
ratcheting up the fidelity of program implementation and with it, the effectiveness of the program. As in
past years they also concentrated on professional development as the pathway to effective technology use.

Eight major trends were noted related to the funding, administration, implementation, and evaluation of
the federal NCLB IID program:

• Trend 1: The Cuts to NCLB IID Funding Go Deeper
  For the first few years of the NCLB IID program, funding was stabilized at approximately $600
  million annually (for the 50 states and the District of Columbia). However, beginning in FY05
  that level was reduced significantly by Congress, resulting in a 60% reduction from FY04 to
  FY06.

• Trend 2: States Are Facilitating High-Quality Research
  States have released findings from experimental or quasi-experimental research studies on the
  impact of NCLB IID programs on student academic achievement. Overall, results reported are
  generally positive.

• Trend 3: Academics Continue To Be Top Priority for NCLB IID
  Throughout the history of the NCLB IID program the LEA competitive grants have strongly
  emphasized student outcomes in mathematics and literacy. In Round 5 grantees increased the
  emphasis on mathematics, continued the emphasis on literacy, and added a strong emphasis in
  science.

• Trend 4: Integration is Critical to Developing Technology Literacy
  States are increasingly using integration as the means to student technology literacy.

• Trend 5: State Policies Scale Effective Practices
  States are increasingly offering LEAs opportunities to adopt fully developed programs that have
  been shown to work, when implemented with fidelity.

• Trend 6:  Progress Through Leadership and Professional Development
  With funds severely cut from previous years, states see effective professional development models
  and leadership as the key to advancement of the NCLB IID program goals.

• Trend 7:  Wanted: Digital Content and Digital Learning Environments
  Effective use of technology in schools requires high-quality, digital content and virtual learning
  spaces, in addition to access to technology tools and high-speed networks.

• Trend 8:  Leveraging Data-Informed Decision Making
  States are building the capacity of schools to make data-informed instructional decisions.