Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

ISTE Releases Statement from CEO Brian Lewis on Release of President's Obama's Budget

  • 02/09/16

Washington, D.C. — Statement from Brian Lewis, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®):

“We’re truly disappointed in the White House’s decision to request fiscal year 2017 funding of only $500 million in the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Title IV flexible block grant that supports, among other things, the effective use of ed tech.

“This figure falls well short – indeed, it's less than one-third – of the Title IV authorization level Congress passed by an overwhelming majority and the President signed into law just two months ago. It’s particularly puzzling to ISTE, given the administration’s otherwise powerful education technology legacy.

“Title IV of ESSA is designed to encourage school districts to provide technology professional development to teachers, principals and administrators. But it will be of only limited effect with so little money allocated to it. Further, it will decrease the value of other crucial and much-needed investments, including the 2014 increase in the E-Rate program’s annual cap, and the President’s recent call to invest major dollars in a coding and computer science initiative.

“ISTE and its affiliates will work hard to convince Congress of the urgent need to provide greater funding for Title IV in its final FY17 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill. Our children’s futures, and in fact our collective future, are too valuable to skimp now.”

About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier nonprofit organization serving educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. ISTE serves more than 100,000 education stakeholders throughout the world.

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.