Become a Better
Advocate for Ed Tech
T he ISTE Public Policy and Advocacy Com- mittee held a retreat at the end of 2010 to review ISTE’s grassroots and mobilization
efforts over the past several years and to identify
strategies and tactics we should implement to
build a stronger advocacy machine.
Collectively, we’ve done a stellar job of making
our voices heard by sending letters via the Ed
Tech Action Network (ETAN, www.edtechac-
tionnetwork.org); developing advocacy products,
such as ETAN in a Box; and hosting the ABC’s
of Advocacy conferences. We continue to get
rave reviews about the Storm the Hill event we
hosted during NECC 2009 in Washington, D.C.
We’ve developed the ISTE Advocate of the Year
Award to recognize outstanding leaders, held
focused webinars, and provided advice and support to numerous affiliates on growing their own
advocacy efforts. The ISTE Advocacy Toolkit
( iste.org/advocacy/toolkit) has also been an invaluable resource for ISTE members.
Our efforts have influenced U.S. legislation through ISTE’s lobbying presence in D.C.,
ETAN, and meetings that our members have
had with policy makers and their staff during
the annual Education Technology Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. Our successes include:
• $650 million in stimulus funds for ed tech
• Several billion dollars of broadband stimulus
funds to benefit K– 12 schools
• An increase to the E-Rate cap for inflation as
well as other important E-Rate changes
• Understanding from both the U.S. adminis-
tration and bipartisan members of Congress
that ed tech is a critical component for the
reauthorization of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act
The National Education Technology Plan had
input from ISTE stakeholders, and the National
Broadband Plan has a strong emphasis on edu-
cation. We have influenced state policy as well
by supporting our state affiliates—most recently
in Texas on digital textbook legislation, in Cali-
fornia to support efforts to release unspent ed
tech stimulus funds, and in Virginia to maintain
funding for instructional technology resource
coordinators.
VOICES CARRY
By Hilary Goldmann
Hilary Goldmann,
ISTE’s director of
government affairs, has
20 years of experience
in public policy and
advocacy. Her column
appears in every other
issue of L&L.
