National Educational Technology Plan

The Office of Educational Technology (OET) in the Department of Education held a national digital equity summit to share its educational technology plan, the flagship educational technology policy document for the United States. In developing this plan, OET created a digital equity education roundtable (DEER) initiative.
 
Through DEER, OET hosted a series of conversations with leaders from community-based organizations around the country, including the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
 
The purpose of the educational technology plan is to serve as a guidance document to share a vision for how schools and districts across the country can continue to use technology to improve equity and opportunity for all students. The purpose of this document is to support leaders in developing effective digital equity plans by doing the following: 

• Exploring the three components of access—availability, affordability, adoption;
• Highlighting existing barriers to achieving digital equity;
• Providing promising strategies to overcome these barriers; and
• Identifying key action steps for leaders. 

OET also identified the following key steps stakeholders can take in their digital equity planning efforts to ensure access for all learners: 

• Develop and earn public trust through partnerships;
• Learn from those impacted by inequitable access and provide opportunities for feedback;
• Co-develop clear goals and strategies with communities to craft a comprehensive digital equity plan;
• Raise public awareness and provide ongoing support for low- or no-cost broadband programs; and
• Provide digital literacy training and professional learning opportunities. 

For more information, please contact:
Emmanual A. Guillory