Ted Richane
The Fratelli Group
202.822.9491
trichane@fratelli.com

Washington, DC (June 7, 2006) – Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Board Chair Sheryl Abshire released the following statement in reaction to today’s vote by the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations to eliminate all funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program. EETT provides funds to school districts across the country funds for a wide range of technology enrichment purposes. Abshire is the Administrative Coordinator of Technology in the Calcasieu Parish School System in Lake Charles, LA.

"Today's action to eliminate all funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program for FY07 is catastrophic for K-12 education. I can only wonder how the Subcommittee members who voted in favor of defunding EETT will justify this cut to the teachers who will no longer be able to take online accreditation courses using EETT dollars, to the administrators who will no longer be able to rely on EETT to support No Child Left Behind required data collection efforts and to the students who will no longer benefit from EETT through their exposure to online and digital education resources that enrich their learning experiences and prepare them to compete in the 21st century economy. To me, this vote shows that too many in this Congress are prepared to unilaterally disarm our students in the heat of this nation's battle to gain a competitive edge over the rest of the world."

Statements by allied organizations:

• Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA)
• State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA)
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
• North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL)

About the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the country’s premier voice in education technology leadership with a mission to serve as the national organization for K-12 technology leaders who use technology strategically to ultimately improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support and nurture leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies.

CoSN leadership initiatives include: Accessible Technologies for All Students (www.accessibletech4all.org); Cyber Security for the Digital District (www.securedistrict.org); Data-Driven Decision Making (www.3d2know.org); Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse (www.safewiredschools.org); Taking Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org); and the development of the Council of School District Chief Technology Officers (CTO Council).

CoSN’s membership includes a unique blend of education and technology leaders, policy makers, and influencers from the public and private sectors. Our audience includes key technology leaders (often called Chief Technology Officers—CTOs) in leading-edge states and districts, policy makers, private sector leaders, as well as those technology leaders who wish to accelerate their districts’ or states’ systemic technology use. Visit www.cosn.org or phone 866.267.8747 to find out more about CoSN’s programs and activities supporting leadership development to ensure that information technology has a direct and positive impact on student learning in elementary and secondary schools.