ISTE condemns racism in all its forms and manifestations. We stand alongside the Black community -- our colleagues, members, educators, students, and families in calling for justice.
And, we will not ignore the systemic and institutionalized racism that persists in our country and communities. #BlackLivesMatter

As an organization, ISTE is committed to cultivating a community of educators whose diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences inform and enhance the practice of all educators. We’re committed to fostering an environment where all educators are heard, valued and engaged.

We’re on a journey to learn, grow and lead in alignment with our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This journey is an ongoing process, working with our staff, members and partners. Join others and share your thoughts, suggestions and questions with us!

  • Investing in DEI training for our staff and continuing to evolve our internal practices to reflect our commitment. Our work begins at home as we reflect deeply on our practices and processes to identify implicit bias and explore approaches to effectively engage underrepresented perspectives from around the globe.
     
  • Engaging leaders and practitioners who have deep expertise in DEI to better inform our work as an organization and as individuals as we continue to connect with our colleagues, members and partners to improve learning opportunities for all. Our staff is participating in a DEI accelerator (fueled by Promise54) to assess the current state of our organization in alignment with our DEI commitments and to develop strategies to improve our practices and supports.
     
  • Raising equity awareness within our community by asking ISTE conference presenters to describe how they plan to advance diversity, equity and inclusion topics in their sessions, and providing inclusivity and accessibility training for all Community Leaders.
     
  • Leveraging our platform and reach to promote innovative and inclusive perspectives around the use of educational technology, as well as developing global collaborations and expanding our reach to educators worldwide.
     
  • Making our events more inclusive by highlighting sessions that address digital equity in the conference program, featuring educator stories about equity challenge projects, and adding the option to include personal pronouns to ISTE event badges.
     
  • Providing scholarship support to engage more educators from underrepresented backgrounds and under-resourced schools at ISTE events, professional learning opportunities and in our community.  
  • Elevating the perspectives, experiences and voices of people of color and underrepresented stakeholders in the education community through our EdSurge journalism and storytelling. 
ISTE Annual Conference Scholarships

As part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and to welcome more educators from historically underrepresented backgrounds to our events and community, ISTE awards scholarships to attend ISTELive in person and online.

Apply for a scholarship

ISTE scholarships are open to all educators, but priority consideration is given to educators from historically underrepresented backgrounds and educators from under-resourced or Title I schools who would not be able to attend without support. ISTELive 23 scholarships will be awarded in three rounds. Check out the upcoming deadlines, then apply for a scholarship!
 

Apply Now

 

Support the scholarship program

With your help, we can help larger numbers of diverse educators attend ISTELive and welcome them to the ISTE community! Your donation in any amount makes all the difference.

 

More resources to explore

VIDEO: “Breaking into the Space: Diverse Edtech Presenters”

How can edtech events begin to promote more diverse voices? This recorded webinar discusses how diverse presenters are breaking into the edtech space and how to further the movement to include more diverse voices!

 

VIDEO: “What losing my vision taught me about access”

Inclusive Learning Network leader Luis Perez gives a TED Talk about his journey with disability, the importance of access and the role of technology for all learners.

 

VIDEO: “When traumatic experiences stimulate compassion conversations: Lessons from Ferguson”

Digital Equity Network leader Patricia Brown gives a TED Talk on how digital media can transform the way people interact and facilitate important compassionate discussions with students on today’s tough topics.


BOOK: Closing the Gap: Digital Equity Strategies for the K-12 Classroom

The second in the Closing the Gap series, this book will help K-12 classroom teachers address the challenges of teaching in the digital age, providing positive examples and recommendations for moving toward digital equity in K-12 settings.


BOOK: Dive Into UDL

Universal Design for Learning is a framework for designing instruction that meets the needs of every learner. This book shows K-12 educators how to incorporate UDL in their instructional design and engage in continuous professional growth.