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SETDA Taps Dr. Geoffrey H. Fletcher to Lead Strategic Initiatives and Communications, Strengthening Commitment to Supporting State Educational Technology Leadership

Washington, DC (October 13, 2010) – Dr. Geoffrey H. Fletcher will join the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) to lead strategic initiatives and communications. Dr. Fletcher, who formerly served as assistant commissioner for curriculum and assessment for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and most recently as editorial director of the education group of 1105 Media, brings a wealth of state and national education experience to SETDA’s rapidly expanding initiatives. He has spent over 35 years in public education as a teacher, administrator, state government executive and editorial director for two leading educational technology publications, T.H.E. Journal and Campus Technology.

“Dr. Fletcher has been at the forefront of national efforts to use technology effectively in education,” said Douglas A. Levin, executive director of SETDA. “We are thrilled to be able to add his caliber of expertise and skills as a resource to state departments of education making the policy and programmatic transition to digital learning.”

During his tenure in Texas, Dr. Fletcher provided administrative leadership, coordination, and supervision to an office of approximately 180 TEA staff in support of all state activities related to curriculum, assessment, textbooks, technology and professional development. He subsequently served as executive director of the Texas Computer Education Association and – while at 1105 Media – convened the Congress on the Future of Content, an innovative public-private partnership dedicated to improving access to high quality content for students and teachers.

“From implementing the Common Core standards and assessments to Race to the Top grants, state educational technology directors are the linchpin for implementing statewide educational reform and improvement initiatives,” said Dr. Fletcher. “I am eager to join SETDA and assist states in providing a dramatically more effective, equitable, and engaging education for all students through the meaningful use of technology.”

Dr. Fletcher’s initial focus will be on leading several recently launched SETDA initiatives funded with the generous support of the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and the U.S. Department of Education. These new projects focus on a range of critical topics, including:

•  Driving increased effectiveness and innovation in K-12 textbook adoption policies through the increased use of digital and open content;
•  Developing cost-effective, high-quality online formative and summative state assessment systems aligned to the Common Core standards; and
•  Building state educational technology leadership capacity by fostering innovative online communities of practice.

 

About the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA): Founded in 2001, SETDA is the national member association that represents the interests of the educational technology leadership of state and territorial education agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. SETDA members work collectively and in public-private partnerships to ensure that meaningful technology innovations with broad potential for systemic improvements and cost-savings in teaching, learning, and leadership are brought to scale. For more information, please visit www.setda.org.