The Plan Provides Direction

The 80th Texas Legislature received a gift with requests for tools when the Educational Technology Advisory Committee presented it with the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 three years ago. Each educator, school leader, policy maker, parent, and citizen interested in helping to create, provide, and support the state's technology infusion in schools throughout the state did too. The plan details needs, possibilities, responsibilities, and appropriate support it will take to transform the type and level of education students enrolled in Texas schools have the opportunity to receive in technology-rich educational settings.


The plan doesn't just paint a picture of what could be, it shows the data-supported reasons why shifting Texas education into the heart of the technology age is important for the state's long-term economic stability and its ability to flexibly grow with population increases which add at least 80,000 students to the state's schools annually. It outlines fiscally responsible exchanges to fund infrastructure costs while utilizing the collective wealth of the resources connected by that network to create accessible technology in all districts. It never loses sight that equitable access is a responsibility shared by policy makers as much as by school leaders so that all Texas students grow comparably in the schools they attend, no matter the zip code where the campus sits.


As an aspiring educational leader, I've got another invaluable resource to reference and consider comprehensively as I offer support to teachers and collaborate with other educators outside my campus. The Long-Range Plan for Technology can help school leaders throughout the state tailor the specific learning possibilities that really fit the needs full technology integration for students, staff, and community can provide when its use is well planned, regularly updated, and whole-heartedly implemented.