Committed to a strong state-federal partnership in support of education reform and improvement

Education is primarily a state and local responsibility in the United States. The federal government supplements and complements the efforts of states by promoting student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness through federal policies and programs that foster educational excellence and ensure equality of opportunity.

The federal role in K-12 educational technology policy and programs spans over 35 years, dating from the Star Schools Program Assistance Act, initiated by Congress in 1988. Successive federal actions led to the appointment of the first federal Director of Educational Technology, the establishment of an Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, the development of national educational technology and broadband plans, and the launch of numerous targeted federal universal service, formula and competitive grant programs.

SETDA is committed to fostering the longstanding state-federal partnership on educational technology programs and policies through information sharing, meaningful dialogue, and collaboration. We seek solutions-oriented consensus positions of U.S. state and territorial education leaders and advocate for effective educational technology policies at the federal and state-levels. We remain mindful that success in advocacy is determined ultimately only by long-term impacts on teaching and learning.

The SETDA Board of Directors has submitted a memo to the Biden/Harris transition team. You may read it here, as it highlights our strategic priorities which are largely based on SETDA member input from the survey we completed last spring.

• Homework Gap

    The Homework Gap: COVID 19 & Beyond SETDA is urging federal policymakers to expand home internet access for teachers and students. It is important to remember that equitable access to high-speed broadband is the foundation upon which today’s schools create enhanced and empowering digital learning experiences and is currently the only way they have […]

• U.S. Department of Education

  Primarily under authority granted by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the U.S. Department of Education advocates for the effective use of technology in education through the Office of Educational Technology and as as a priority in select grant, research, and evaluation programs.