SETDA in the News: September 2014 Round Up
September is always a busy month filled with the excitement of a new school year for students, teachers and parents alike. As another school years kicks off, this is a great opportunity to reflect the newness that surrounds us. This September was particularly exciting because many schools had (and still have) the opportunity to increase student access to the hardware, software and services provided by the generous donations from the companies participating in the ConnectED program.
On September 11, 2014, SETDA hosted a ConnectED Back-to-School Webinar as a follow up to SETDA’s ConnectED Private Sector Showcase in June. During the webinar, Richard Culatta, Director, Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education provided an introduction to the ConnectED program and the companies that have committed $2 billion in educational technology resources under President Obama’s ConnectED initiative. Nine of the ten ConnectED companies: Adobe; AT&T; Autodesk; Esri; Microsoft; Prezi; Safari Books Online; Sprint Corporation; and Verizon each provided a short overview of their program offerings for participants. Leaders from states and districts nationwide joined the webinar to learn more about the programs and partake in an extended question and answer session to clarify details including eligibility, student privacy concerns and implementation. The event was free and open to the public. If you were unable to attend, you may access the webinar archive.
Other topics that remain in the headlines this September include E-Rate Modernization, Student Data Privacy and Net Neutrality. Here is a snapshot of SETDA in the news during the last month:
- eSchool News: School Stakeholders Urge FCC to Adopt Net Neutrality
- Classroom Technology: Is Big Brother Hiding in Your Student’s Backpack?
- T.H.E. Journal: 5 Ways to Make the Most of the New E-Rate
- District Administration: New Training Paths for School Tech Staff
In addition, be sure to check out a sampling of SETDA Says blog posts and our Press Releases from the month of September.
For an up-to-date archive and chronicle of notable SETDA mentions online and in the press, be sure to visit the In the News section of our website.