LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGY STRENGTHEN MINNESOTA
Talking Points from 2007 MLA/MEMO platform planks – 

Draft 2/1602/2007

4. MLA/MEMO supports legislation allocating up to $200 per student of categorical state aide to fund the equitable delivery of technology and library media programs to all students.
Despite the fact that technology is essential to student acquisition of essential 21st century skills, school administration, to school record keeping and data reporting, to home/school communication, and to student acquisition of essential 21st century skills, no dedicated funding stream is available to schools for technology and libraries to sustain a level of viable technology infrastructure needed to carry out these critical functions.

Computer replacement, network and software upgrades, and technology support are all ongoing costs incurred by schools. The demands on school districts for technology are increasing as the state moves to mandated technology literacy skills embedded in academic content, moves to online testing, and online data reporting., and mandated technology skills embedded in all curricular areas. School Library media programs that teach students to apply technology ethically and safely use technology and online resources to solve real-world problems and answer questions are are also struggling to meet the needs of students and school demands. Parents also need assistance in developing strategies to guide their children in ethical and safe use.

Technology is a key foundation to creating successful students who are prepared to succeed and help the U.S. maintain global competitiveness. MN ranked very low, receiving a D- in educational tech efforts, in the 2006 Technology Counts Report published by Education Week magazine. This issue is critical to address. Sustained, consistent funding for technology is needed by Minnesota schools so that schoolsto narrow the achievement gap and can graduate students who possess strong skills and 21st century literacy beyond the basic abilities to read and write.

1. Narrowing the Achievement Gap

• 21st century skills require 21st century assessments. Minnesota is increasingly moving towards computer-based and online assessments. In order to ensure every student’s right to success, equitable technology infrastructure must be in place for delivery of computer-based assessments that are aligned with curriculum and academic standards.
• Schools need the technology tools in place that provide for use of data to drive instructional practice. Effective use of formative and summative assessment data, along with other types of information, are critical to a teacher’s ability to differentiate instruction that meets the needs of all students.
• Parent need support for appropriate technology use strategies with their children.
• All students can learn. Research shows that technology can be used to engage disenfranchised students in a wide variety of ways. One example of this would be its effectiveness with “tactile learners”.
• Today’s students are increasingly complex in terms of their motivation for learning, their ability to multi-task, and their demands for relevance in their educational experience. Technology access is needed to provide all students with instructional models and resources that not only develop essential skills, but that meet student needs and interests and challenge them to problem solve and become critical thinkers. In addition, teachers need access to tools that enable them to individualize instruction to more closely meet the needs of each student.
• Minnesota students are on the move. With the high mobility rate experienced in some school districts and the growing educational opportunities available to students through distance learning, Minnesota schools need a more efficient way to share information and student records, which requires both technology access and improved data collection and reporting systems that can communicate student information across districts.

2. Educating ing 21st Century Learners to Be Succeed in a Globally Competitive World and High School Reform
• Minnesota students need to be provided with increased educational opportunities and they have a right to equitable access to these opportunities. Technology enables school districts to share resources so that they can efficiently deliver advanced courses, foreign language instruction, and college courses to K-12 students regardless of geographic location or resource limitations of the home school district. For instance, pilot projects are currently under way to deliver Mandarin Chinese Instruction to K-12 students at various locations throughout the state using a combination of online learning and interactive television. Efficient and Equitable Low Incident Course deliver (e.g. Mandarin)
• Minnesota students need to be encouraged to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEMS) if Minnesota is to remain competitive in a global marketplace. Financialmarketplace. Financial support for technology in schools is needed to promote 21st century instruction and learning opportunities in these content areas. An hour a week in a computer lab, a limitation faced by many students in our schools,willschools, will not produce students with 21st century skills. (Math, Science and Industrial Technology strands)
• Technology can be used to help students from all over Minnesota work on career exploration through programs that encourage students to work with mentors in Minnesota businesses and industries.Career Exploration
• Minnesota schools are expected to work towards the goal of having all students technologically literate by 8th grade as outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act. Greater access to technology is needed if our students are to achieve this goal.NCLB Technology and Information Literacy Skills to be integrated into MN Standards
• The Minnesota Department of Education has been directed by the Legislature to incorporate information and technology literacy standards into Minnesota Academic Standards over the next five years. Limited access to technology is a huge barrier for classroom teachers and students who will be attempting to build these skills along with mastery of content.
21st century skills require 21st century assessments. Minnesota is increasingly moving towards computer-based and online assessments. In order to ensure every student’s right to success, equitable technology infrastructure must be in place for delivery of computer-based assessments that are aligned with curriculum and academic standards.

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