IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 161 

Expressing support for designation of September 18 as ‘‘National Innovation 

in Education Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 19, 2015 

Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. HANNA, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. POLIS, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. 

JACKSON LEE, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. CONYERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of September 18 as 

‘‘National Innovation in Education Day’’. 

Whereas a growing number of schools have embraced a curriculum that highlights the importance of technological 

advancement; 

Whereas incorporating technology into classrooms, including 

the additions of personal computers, tablet devices, 

eBooks, and SmartBoards, has not only cut classroom expenses but has also inspired students to become more engaged in their own education; 

Whereas studies have shown that 65 percent of educators believe that students are more productive today than they 


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•HRES 161 IH 

were several years ago, due to the increased use of technology in the classroom; 

Whereas 90 percent of tablet-owning college students think 

tablets are valuable for education and 6 in 10 high school 

seniors and college students think that tablets help students study more efficiently and perform better in class; 

Whereas the percentage of students who rated either proficient or advanced was 49 percent higher in ‘‘flipped 

classrooms’’ that integrated tablets into the curriculum 

than in traditional classrooms; 

Whereas studies have proven that students using tablets saw 

their math test scores increase 20 percent in 1 year compared to students using traditional textbooks; 

Whereas students in classrooms that implemented video lectures saw a 14 percent increase in GPA compared to traditional classroom settings; 

Whereas students who have been exposed to technology and 

creative teaching methods in the classroom will be more 

readily prepared for a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields; 

Whereas the implementation of integrated education technology initiatives has led to 21 percent composite achievement rate increases and 25 percent graduation rate increases over 5 years; 

Whereas technological advancement in the classroom offers 

unique ways to incorporate the arts into STEM education, referred to as STEAM education, providing students an opportunity to more easily engage with the arts 

that studies show is correlated with higher SAT scores 

and professional academic achievement; 


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•HRES 161 IH 

Whereas schools that emphasize personalized learning environments, integration of arts and technology in project 

based learning, and development of deeper learning skills 

have highly successful graduation rates, with up to 98 

percent of their graduates enrolled at an institution of 

higher education; 

Whereas the implementation of project-based learning focused 

on STEM has led to 62 percent of students being the 

first generation in their families to enroll in an institution of higher education and a near zero secondary school 

dropout rate; 

Whereas 74 percent of pre-K through 12th-grade teachers 

say technology enables them to reinforce and expand on 

content and respond to a variety of learning styles, as it 

gives them the flexibility to teach to individual students’ 

strengths; 

Whereas different programs or devices can be implemented 

for collaborative learners while other programs may better suit those students who prefer to work individually; 

Whereas 75 percent of teachers in low-income communities 

said that they wished to have more technology in the 

classroom due to a lack of updated textbooks and materials; and 

Whereas September 18 would be an appropriate date to designate as ‘‘National Innovation in Education Day’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Inno3 vation in Education Day’’ to recognize the advances 

4 that the Nation’s schools have made incorporating 


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•HRES 161 IH 

1 both creative teaching methods and technology into 

2 the classroom; 

3 (2) recognizes the importance of creative teach4 ing methods as a means of engaging students in 

5 their education and inspiring more students to pur6 sue higher education; 

7 (3) recognizes that technological advancements 

8 within the classroom prepare students for a more in9 formation-driven market, thus closing the gap be10 tween education and the workforce by allowing stu11 dents to obtain the skills necessary for employment 

12 in competitive science and technology fields in the 

13 United States; and 

14 (4) recognizes the achievements of outstanding 

15 educators who have exemplified the innovative teach16 ing methods listed above. 

Æ 


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