WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                            Ch. 600

7-702.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT:

(1)      TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS CAN PROPEL THE STATE'S SCHOOL
SYSTEMS INTO IMMEDIATE AND DRAMATIC REFORM, WITHOUT WHICH THE STATE
WILL NOT MEET THE VERY AMBITIOUS NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS BY THE
TARGET YEAR 2000;

(2)      CREATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY CAN RESHAPE THE STATE'S
OUTDATED METHOD OF PROVIDING EDUCATION AND EMPOWER TEACHERS TO
CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS CAN BE CHALLENGED THROUGH
RIGOROUS, RICH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AT A PACE THAT SUITS THE LEARNING
STYLE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT;

(3)      THE ACQUISITION AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
THROUGHOUT THE STATE HAS BEEN INHIBITED BY:

(I)       THE LIMITED EXPOSURE OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO
THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY AS A COST-EFFECTIVE TOOL TO IMPROVE STUDENT
LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT;

(II)     THE INABILITY OF THE STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
AGENCIES TO INVEST IN AND SUPPORT NEEDED TECHNOLOGIES;

(III)   THE LACK OF APPROPRIATE ELECTRICAL AND TELEPHONE
CONNECTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM; AND

(IV)    THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED
CURRICULUM, STAFF DEVELOPMENT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT RESOURCES
AND SERVICES IN THE EDUCATIONAL MARKETPLACE;

(4)      ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY OFFER NEW AND INTERESTING
POSSIBILITIES TO PROMOTE NEW PARTNERSHIPS AMONG TEACHERS, STUDENTS,
PARENTS, COMMUNITIES, AND INDUSTRY IN THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE
PROCESS FOR LEARNING;

(5)      THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY WILL CULTIVATE AND MAINTAIN A
TECHNOLOGICALLY LITERATE CITIZENRY AND INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE
WORKFORCE WHEN USED AS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL IN THE LEARNING PROCESS;

(6)      IN SUPPORT OF THE OVERALL NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY POLICY,
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC
AND EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT MUST ASSUME A VITAL LEADERSHIP AND
COORDINATING ROLE IN PROVIDING THE STATE'S VISION AND STRATEGY TO
INFUSE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THROUGHOUT ALL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS;

(7)      STATE SUPPORT CAN EASE THE BURDEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL BY
ENABLING THE ACQUISITION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, TEACHER TRAINING
AND SUPPORT, AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS;

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