As the definition of advanced telecommunications evolves, this regulatory authority will do more to help schools meet their needs while reducing the strain on their budgets. At a local level, public-private partnerships such as NetDay can give an extra boost to these efforts. This support can make a difference at a time when schools face other competing critical needs such as textbooks, teacher training, and the renovation of facilities. In the end, however, a genuine commitment means support by long-term budgeting. Efforts like these are essential for technology to assume its rightful place in education.
Many students require extensive personal attention in computer instruction.
Teacher training is an essential part of realizing this goal. Teachers have many demands on their time and energy and may view these new, unfamiliar approaches as an additional burden. Dale Lestina, president of Organizations Concerned about Rural Education and director of Congressional Relations for the National Education Association, has said that teacher training must be given the highest priority, if new technology is to succeed in improving education. Adequate training will give teachers a practical vision of technology's potential, opportunities to use it, sufficient support services, and time to experiment. In California, NetDay was a highly visible opportunity for parents and volunteers to participate.