Use the resources below to explore policy issues you or your organization cares about deeply. Reach out at advocacy@iste.org for any assistance.
Educator Preparation and Professional Development
Policymakers can convene diverse stakeholders to establish a shared vision around what digital teaching and learning should look like. They can also reimagine qualifications sought from pre- and in-service teachers by aligning certification and re-licensure policies with the ISTE Standards for Educators. Finally, policymakers can influence the budget process around strategic deployment of federal and local funds, with a focus on helping educators build their capacity to use technology effectively in the classroom.
Set a Shared Vision
Making the Case for the ISTE StandardsHelp your state leaders understand why it is critical to adopt the ISTE Standards.
Improving Student Outcomes through K-12 Edtech PolicyShow your state leaders different levers they have to implement the ISTE Standards.
Considerations for States Adapting the ISTE StandardsIf your state leaders choose to localize the language of the ISTE Standards, what key points must they keep in mind?
Crosswalking the ISTE Standards with State StandardsShow your state leaders that the ISTE Standards can support existing academic content standards.
Defining Effective Edtech Use: How Can States Articulate a Shared Vision?Show your state leaders how they can convene educators and stakeholders to develop a shared vision around effective edtech use.
Build Educator Capacity
Accelerating Educator Capacity: How Can States Reimagine Ed Tech Professional Learning?Show your state leaders an exemplary approach to recognizing and rewarding ISTE-certified educators through a state edtech endorsement program.
Addressing Pre-Service Capacity in Ed Tech: How Can States Reimagine Educator Preparation?Show your state leaders an exemplary approach to working with educator preparation programs to implement the ISTE Standards.
Course of Mind: Policy Recommendations to Activate Learning Sciences in Your StateHow can state leadership support the implementation of classroom practices and resources grounded in learning sciences?
Course of Mind: Policy Recommendations to Activate Learning Sciences in Your DistrictHow can district leadership help educators both understand and apply learning sciences in their classrooms?
Allocate Necessary Funds
Using ESSA to Fund Edtech: Getting the Most Out of Title IV-AUse this guide to help state and district leaders understand how to best leverage the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant, provided through Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Ensuring Sustainability: How Can States Strategically Allocate Funds to Support Edtech Priorities?Show your state leaders an exemplary approach to investing in educator capacity building in edtech.
ESSA Title II-A Fact SheetGet quick information about the ESSA Title II-A grant program, designed to support educator professional development in edtech.
Using ESSA to Fund Edtech: Getting the Most Out of Title IV-A
What is Title IV-A and how can technology support all allowable uses of this critical grant program?
ESSA Title IV-A Fact SheetListen to Janice Mertes from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction explain how the Title IV-A grant program is being implemented in her state. Also, get quick information about the grant through materials developed by the Title IV-A Coalition.
Broadband Internet for Learning
Policymakers can support efforts to provide high-speed broadband access and enable digital learning in schools. Policymakers can also protect the federal E-Rate program, which seeks to expand broadband access in schools and libraries.
2019 State of the StatesEducation Superhighway’s report tracks the progress of broadband connectivity in the United States and makes recommendations on how each state may connect more schools in a robust manner. See how your state compares to others.
Broadband Imperative III: Driving Connectivity, Access and Student SuccessThis report from the State Edtech Directors Association (SETDA) details model strategies that some states have used to expand broadband connectivity in their schools.
E-Rate Frequently Asked QuestionsUse this page developed by the EdLinc Coalition to get quick information about the Federal Communication Commission’s E-Rate program, which seeks to expand broadband access in schools and libraries.
Student Privacy and Security
Policymakers can balance the benefits of personalized learning, data-driven decision-making and innovation with the priority to protect student information and school networks.
Data Privacy ToolkitThe Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)’s data privacy toolkit helps educators and leaders understand existing privacy laws and vet edtech tools for their commitment to protecting student data.
Cybersecurity ToolkitCoSN’s cybersecurity toolkit helps school and district leaders understand major threats to cybersecurity, assess current levels of protection and create a plan to protect student data.
Digital Citizenship
Policymakers can support schools in building students’ digital citizenship skills. ISTE believes that digital citizenship includes online safety, but is much deeper and further reaching in scope and impact. Policymakers can shift the tone of the conversation from dissent and fear (don’ts) to, inclusivity, empathy and action (do’s).
#DigCitCommitVisit ISTE’s DigCitCommit website to learn more about the five core competencies that advocates can use to help policymakers refine their definitions of digital citizenship. Show your state leaders how Virginia is leading a coordinated approach to implementing an expanded definition of digital citizenship.
Sample Digital Citizenship PoliciesPolicymakers across the country are expanding the definition of digital citizenship beyond online safety, ensuring that schools build students’ skills to navigate media and communicate productively in online spaces.
- Washington’s state legislature defines digital citizenship and calls on districts to review its policies and procedures annually.
- Utah’s state legislature defines digital citizenship and calls on local boards to establish a school community council that makes recommendations on digital citizenship instruction.
- Kentucky calls on local boards and superintendents to establish acceptable use policies aligned to ISTE's definition of digital citizenship.
Higher Ed Modernization
Policymakers can help institutions of higher education leverage technology to expand access, close achievement gaps, increase completion rates, lower the cost of access and materials and enable fluid transitions between college and career.
Higher Education Supplement to the National Education Technology PlanThe U.S. Department of Education lays out a national vision for effective edtech use in higher education settings around the themes of lifelong learning, equity and accessibility. Does your state’s higher education institutions align themselves to this national vision?
ISTE’s Recommendations for the Higher Education ActCongress is currently debating the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). See ISTE’s recommendations for embedding elements of the ISTE Standards into this federal law governing postsecondary education. Does your state’s higher education institutions meet these recommendations?
Computer Science and Computational Thinking
Policymakers can support schools in building students’ computational thinking skills, a powerful ingredient for solving ambiguous, complex and open-ended problems by drawing on principles and practices central to computer science.
ISTE Standards for Computer Science Educators and Computational Thinking CompetenciesSee ISTE’s framework for the types of competencies that educators should master to effectively build students’ computer science and computational thinking skills, allowing them to approach real-world problems in innovative ways. Rhode Island endorses the computer science educator standards for their districts. Does yours?
Computer Science Advocacy ToolkitTrack the progress of your state’s computer science education policies and call for policy changes using tools and templates developed by the Code.org Advocacy Coalition.
Resources for Policymakers
Resources for Advocates
Other Resources
Join the ISTE
Advocacy Network
Subscribers will receive edtech advocacy news from ISTE as well as timely legislative updates and action alerts on digital learning policy developments.