Hill Quotes

The Hill Quotes Lekas on State Social Media Censorship Bills

by PolicyPress Release

The Hill quoted SIIA’s head of public policy and government affairs, Paul Lekas, in a piece about the rise of state legislative proposals designed to restrict the ability of social media platforms to moderate user content. Lekas explained that the bills are content-based restrictions that run afoul of the First Amendment: “The First Amendment applies to state action, and these companies are not arms of the state.” He raised concerns about state-level regulation of internet content and the risk of “a large number of class-action strike suits where harm is mostly theoretical” leading ultimately to costs that will be passed onto internet users. The article can be found here.

 

 

internet for all

SIIA Statement on Internet for All Initiative

by DEIPolicyPress Release

The following statement is attributed to Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) President Jeff Joseph regarding today’s announcement of the launch of the Biden Administration’s Internet for All Initiative, which will invest $45 billion to provide affordable high-speed internet and related training for all Americans:

“The Internet for All Initiative is a critical and welcome advancement in the ongoing effort to close the technology equity gap in the United States. Broadband equity is achieved when all Americans and our communities are able to access and use affordable, high-speed, reliable internet at speeds, quality and capacity necessary to ensure everyone can participate in and reap the benefits of the digital economy.Through this program, the Commerce Department wisely seeks to engage every level of government, as internet needs vary by state.

“Importantly, this initiative recognizes that access to quality broadband is just one piece of addressing the tech equity gap. Funding for State Digital Equity Act programs will support needed digital literacy and skills training that will help traditionally underserved communities use technology confidently, creatively and critically, preparing members of these communities to meet the demands and challenges of life, learning and work in a digital society.

“Advancing digital equity is a core focus for SIIA. Removing barriers to elevate opportunities for all individuals will lead to the creation of new businesses, foster economic growth and expand access to technology itself. It also will generate educational, employment and social engagement opportunities technological innovation can foster. We thank Congress for providing this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to Commerce Secretary

Raimondo, NTIA Administrator Davidson, and all those across the Biden Administration for launching this vital program.”

Diversity drives innovation

SIIA Hosts Joint Ed Tech Advocacy Day Spotlighting Issues and Advancement

by PolicyTech&

Last week, SIIA hosted a joint Advocacy Day in partnership with the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN), International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA). Advocacy Day brings together state administrators, district leaders, vendor partners and others– for a day of discussions focused on the latest in ed tech policy. 

The morning kicked off with interviews with three (of the four) FCC Commissioners. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner Nathan Simington and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks sat down for one-on-one interviews sharing their thoughts on the current landscape offering insights on broadband access, device connectivity, cybersecurity and other topics. The Chairwoman highlighted her newest proposal to allow E-rate funds to connect school buses to WiFi. Chairwoman Rosenworcel has publicly advocated for the FCC to take a more active role in helping close the homework gap–a term which she coined—and discussed the major benefits of her proposal for students, especially for those who live in rural areas. Commissioner Simington, who sat down with SIIA’s Victoria Akosile, emphasized the importance of device capabilities for connectivity and the importance for partnerships and information sharing to address issues unique to ed tech. Simington, who came to the Commission from The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (), underscored the value of including education technologists and other technology experts guiding decision makers in the right direction on key issues. Noting those on the ground working at the state and district level have a better perspective of where resources can be utilized more efficiently, he invited advocates to get in touch and share insight with the FCC and other leaders to inform their process, especially as they update broadband maps of the nation to understand the levels of coverage. 

Following the interviews with the Commissioners, Office of Educational Technology Deputy Director Kristina Ishamael gave remarks and officially announced the RFP to revise the National Educational Technology Plan is officially open for comment. The plan which was last revised in 2017, will serve as the blueprint for the nation in navigating the use of ed tech in the classrooms, which has been a staple in many classrooms and will continue to be an important part of delivering quality and inclusive classroom and online learning. Assistant Secretary of Education Roberto Rodriguez wrapped up the morning session thanking the ed tech advocates  by recognizing the important role ed tech plays in providing equitable learning experiences.

The afternoon session continued on the Hill where more than 50 advocates from 21 states met with policy makers and their staff, connecting on critical issues for ed tech including funding for E-Rate, student data privacy, closing the homework gap and funding professional development and learning opportunities. Read the joint press release on the event here.  

For more information on SIIA’s ed tech advocacy efforts please contact Pam Golden at pam@glapr.com. 

Victoria Akosile and FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington
EdTech Community Educates Congress on 2022 Policy Priorities

EdTech Community Educates Congress on 2022 Policy Priorities

by PolicyPress Release

Annual Advocacy Summit to Highlight Educators’ Stories and Outline Policies Needed to Improve Educational Outcomes, Expand Equity and Protect Student Data

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Washington, D.C. (May 16, 2022) – Last week, over 51 education technology leaders from 21 different states met with policymakers in-person for the first time since 2019. With stories of their experiences in hand, these edtech experts connected with key elected officials and their staffs to discuss actionable policies that will provide much-needed support for equitable and secure student success. As Congress considers legislation to lead America out of this pandemic and into a sustainable and thriving future, it has never been more important for the edtech community’s voice to be heard.

Participants in the 2022 EdTech Advocacy Day raised critical issues with policymakers last week after holding the first part of the conversation virtually in March. On Thursday, May 12, participants heard from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner Nathan Simington and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and met with officials from the U.S. Department of Education. Participants then headed to the Hill to meet with their Senators and Representatives about supporting policies to ensure a safe transition to a post-pandemic world, connect all students and close the “Homework Gap,” fund edtech and related professional learning opportunities, and protect student data privacy.

“It was so rewarding to return to face-to-face discussions with our colleagues in both the edtech community, the Hill and government agencies last week. To have more than 70 Hill visits scheduled showed the interest from all parties about better understanding how to serve K-12 learners. Hearing directly from the FCC about their commitment and vision to support our school systems/learners provided an excellent jumping off point for legislator meetings,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.

“The pandemic has made it clearer than ever that technology tools are essential, but not enough. We need to help educators learn to apply powerful digital pedagogy, and that requires a strong vision and targeted investments on every level, including the federal level. This was a chance for those educators most impacted by federal policy decisions to make their voices heard before those who were elected to represent them at the highest levels in our country,” said Joseph South, Chief Learning Officer of ISTE.

“While the last two years have shined a spotlight on the broadband equity access issues that existed prior to the pandemic, we cannot waste the substantial investments that have accelerated the shift to digital learning environments,” said Julia Fallon, Executive Director of SETDA. “These advocacy events help us keep federal policymakers informed and provide an opportunity to encourage them to continue to support the initiatives that connect students to their classrooms and teachers from any location – at school, at home and in their communities.”

“We are incredibly proud of the partnerships our edtech members form to help America’s students. Working side by side with educators, school administrators and others last week as a unified voice in DC serves as a reminder to policymakers that digital equity, connectivity and privacy are so very important,” said SIIA President Jeff Joseph. “We will continue to work to amplify the voices of those championing these issues nationwide.”

This year’s annual summit, which is led by CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking), ISTE (the International Society for Technology in Education), SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association) and SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association), was held virtually in March and in-person for the first time since 2019 on Thursday, May 12.

_______________

About CoSN 

CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org

About ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation. Our worldwide network believes in the potential technology holds to transform teaching and learning. ISTE sets a bold vision for education transformation through the ISTE Standards, a framework for students, educators, administrators, coaches and computer science educators to rethink education and create innovative learning environments. ISTE hosts the annual ISTE Conference & Expo, one of the world’s most influential edtech events. The organization’s professional learning offerings include online courses, professional networks, year-round academies, peer-reviewed journals and other publications. ISTE is also the leading publisher of books focused on technology in education. For more information or to become an ISTE member, visit iste.org. Subscribe to ISTE’s YouTube channel and connect with ISTE on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. www.iste.org

About SETDA

Founded in 2001, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. www.setda.org

About SIIA

SIIA is the only professional organization connecting more than 700 data, financial information, education technology, specialized content and publishing, and health technology companies. Our ed tech membership develops and delivers software applications, digital instructional content, online and distance learning services, online assessment, and related technologies for millions of learners around the world. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

EU Data

SIIA Response to EU Data Act

by Policy

SIIA supports the objectives of the Act to unlock the innovative value of data while ensuring responsible practices for its use, collection, and sharing. Despite laudable intentions, the Act impedes business efforts to innovate and compete in a data-driven economy and imposes barriers on responsible data use. Certain provisions would increase compliance costs and impose barriers to commercial contracting that will hurt innovation and competition. Limited protection for intellectual property (IP) and trade secrets will limit incentives to innovate. Contrary to the objective of data minimisation, several provisions would lead businesses to create more rather than less data, increasing cybersecurity risk and personal data exposure. 

We offered the following recommendations, which we address in further detail in this attached paper.