Some state and community plans may include linking schools with homes, enabling students to continue learning with technology at home and parents to communicate with schools and to better participate in their children's education. Indeed, before making investments, communities will want to understand how much they will need to invest and what benefits they will likely receive. And states and communities can assist each other in the planning process. For example, as more states and districts come on-line, they can share local and state technology plans and specific information about the challenges they face and solutions they have adopted. Today, that is no longer true.
States can begin by setting high standards for teachers' skills in technology.
State teacher certification requirements that ask that teachers have a working knowledge of educational technology and how to use it in the classroom to improve student achievement would send important signals to teacher training institutions and prospective teachers. Once teachers are in the workforce, states and school districts can require and encourage ongoing training in the use of technology. For example, as part of state and local professional development strategies, states and school districts can require in-service training in technology that is both sufficiently sustained and intensive to bring teachers up to speed with this new tool for teaching and learning. States and school districts can also tie pay raises and promotions to training in technology and effective use of technology in the classroom. They also can ensure that teachers have the technical support they need by budgeting for staff to maintain equipment and otherwise provide much-needed technical support.