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Posts in category Policy
In the News: Title IV A (SSAEG) on the Ropes? What it Means for EdTech
It is no secret that I have been quite skeptical of Title IV A (SSAEG)’s potential impact on technology-enabled innovation and school improvement. As such, contested funding levels for the program are unlikely to have much impact on the larger trends driving technology’s use in education.
In the News: A Possible Restructuring of the Office of Educational Technology?
An update to the official U.S. Department of Education organizational chart suggests changes underway at the Office of Educational Technology.
The Office of Educational Technology Under DeVos
Does a shift in the U.S. Department of Education organizational chart presage a coming shift in the role for and priority of educational technology under Secretary DeVos?
In the News: On EdTech Leadership (so far) in the Trump Administration
The Obama administration championed Future Ready, #GoOpen, and ConnectED (among other edtech-related campaigns). Who will set the agenda for edtech leadership for the foreseeable future? With more cuts in the federal education budget potentially looming in the fall, and the Trump administration clearly signaling its general preference for market-based solutions, it could be that private-sector technology companies will seize the opportunity to step into the vacuum.
Should We Be Sending Students Who Hack Their Schools to Jail?
Since 2016, multiple news reports document that K-12 students are being charged with and convicted of crimes for hacking their schools. In other cases, these incidents have led to students being expelled. Are schools and the police over-reacting to student hacking of schools? Are our current laws and school policies appropriate? It may be time for a hard look at these questions.
How Should We Address the Cybersecurity Threats Facing K-12 Schools?
There are a range of potential cybersecurity threats facing K-12 schools. Thanks to my invited participation in a National Governors Association cybersecurity summit, I’ve documented my current thinking on the cybersecurity in K-12 education, why it is an important issue, and what should be done about it. Ultimately, if we can’t generate the political will to address these issues head on, states and the federal government have no business pursuing school reform and improvement strategies dependent on technology.
On Altering the Public Record on E-Rate
While it’s common for a federal agency to switch policy directions after a change in leadership, FCC Chairmain Pai’s decision to rescind a data-based public report on E-rate modernization is a highly unusual decision that – at the very least – looks awful. Indeed, to expunge the public record is clearly a political move.
Archived: E‐rate Modernization Progress Report (Jan 2017)
In the public interest, an archived copy of the January 2017 E-rate progress report, “E‐rate Modernization: Progress and the Road Ahead,” rescinded by the FCC two weeks after is was issued.
