Education Preparation and Development

In the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, I feel that the area that needs the most attention is the Educaor Preparation and Development section. "Teachers must be able to prepare students for their future in a manner that assures that all students will not simply survive, but truly thrive in the world that awaits them." (p. 23) That is true and sounds great but someone has got to put their money where their mouth is. I would imagine that you would have little or no opposition to that statement from anyone. We all do truly want each and every one of our students to be able to successfully compete in a globally economy. My question is how are we going to fund this initiative?

It seems that more and more responsibilites are falling on teachers these days. No Child Left Behind, RTI, least restrictive environment, reduced funding for tutoring and other special programs, bullying, and high stakes testing are all on the minds of teachers. "Professional development must ensure that all educators understand the importance of learning about educatioinal technology and the many possibilities of it use." (p. 24) If teachers were given ample time and pay for that professional development, I am sure that they would be overjoyed at finding ways to make their students more engaged and successful. Teachers do understand that technology is here to stay and are for the most part ready to embrace technology and all it has to give. "Securing time, resourses, and effective models for educator pressional develpment presents a tremendous challende to the state and to the entire nation." (p. 24) The challenges have been presented but a possible solution has not. Until Texas and the United States government are ready to fund technology, we will continue to lag behind more progressive countries. Some fortunate students will have what they need to succeed, but the majority of students will continue to wait for their turn to thrive. This makes educators very frustrated.