Infrastructure proposals have been mailed to readers

I want to take this opportunity to thank the 47 volunteers who will read and score the infrastructure proposals. Each reader will receive six or seven grants; some or which are lengthy. The readers will spend hours reading, scoring and on May 31st, additional hours collaborating with other readers to develop summative evaluations of the proposals.

DOE requests your input on how technology should be integrated

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is seeking ideas on the integration of technology in education. The DOE is requesting feedback on the following questions:

1) In what ways has technology improved the effectiveness of your classroom, school or district?

2) Based on your role (administrator, parent, teacher, student, entrepreneur, business leader), how have you used educational data to make better decisions or be more successful?

3) In what ways can technology help us prepare our children for global competition and reach our goals of eliminating achievement gaps and having all students read and do math on grade level by 2014?

4) What should be the federal government's role in supporting the use of technology in our educational system?

To share your comments and suggestions, please click on the "Add Your Comment" box at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/roundtable.html or send an e-mail to edtech@ed.gov.

Appropriations Bill containing EETT to be worked on week of May 7th

We want to alert you to the fact that the Appropriations Bill containing EETT will most likely be acted upon next week. As you know, CT has a house member (Rosa DeLauro)that plays an integral role in this decision.

Please Note: If our Congressional leaders on the Appropriations Subcommittee receive 20 emails in support of EETT this week – That will make a big difference. Superintendent calls also work very well, too!!!!

Thus, we ask you to spread the word regarding this impending action. Please ask your ed-tech leaders to use their data to make the case for funding EETT at the $496 million level if possible. Use succinct examples specific to CT (or the Congressional District) that show how EETT improves student achievement and teacher quality. As always, tie the EETT funding to your state’s ability to compete in a global marketplace.

Please consider contacting Letty Mederos who the person on Rosa DeLauro staff working on Education Issues for the Appropriations Committee. Letty's phone # 202-225-3661; her Fax # 202-225-4890 and her Email leticia.mederos@mail.house.gov

Questions about Infrastructure RFP

Several people have called concerned about page 27 of the Infrastructure RFP, which needs to get filled out if a district has received an infrastructure grant in either of the last two rounds. Readers will only look at this page to see if districts that had received funds, have filled out the page. If the page is missing and should have been completed, then there will be a 15 point deduction from the proposal's score. If the district has asked for an extension and or is waiting for revised bids due to the late dispersal of funds, the district need only note that on the form. No points will be deducted.

I will be out of the office from April 23rd and hope to return on May 7th. In the interim, if you have any questions, please contact Karen Kaplan at (860) 713-6781 or by e-mail at karen.kaplan@ct.gov.