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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2001

News Release

NEA Hails New Report on School Technology Needs

Washington, D.C. - NEA President Bob Chase called the CEO Forum on Education and Technology's report released today a "blueprint for addressing technology issues in today's classrooms."

"Gone are the days of ditto machines and typewriters," Chase said. "We need to bring our schools - and our students -- into the 21st century. This report underlines the importance of keeping our schools up-to-date, and not just in providing the necessary wiring in our school buildings. We need to make sure 21st century skills are reflected in professional development for teachers and in the curriculum and standards in our schools."

The report, titled Key Building Blocks for Student Achievement in the 21st Century, concludes a five-year analysis of the effect of technology on education by calling for new strategies to prepare students for the Information Age. The report was released today at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC).

"The CEO Forum report shows that business leaders and education groups can all agree that children should be our nation's number one priority," NEA Executive Director John Wilson said. Wilson serves on the CEO Forum. "Providing the right tools and technology in the classroom is necessary to help our students succeed into the 21st century and beyond."

To ensure the nation's investment in education technology improves student achievement and benefits education, the CEO Forum suggests six recommendations for schools, government and parents. They are:

1. Focus education technology investment on specific educational objectives
2. Make the development of 21st Century skills a key educational objective
3. Align student assessment with educational objectives while including 21st Century skills
4. Adopt continuous improvement strategies to measure student progress
5. Increase investment in research and development and dissemination of best practices
6. Ensure equitable access to technology for all students

The CEO Forum, a partnership between business and education leaders, emphasizes the importance of these core principles in accomplishing the ultimate goal of education technology--increasing student achievement and the development of 21st Century skills. This report is the fourth and final in a series that has explored the impact of education technology in the classroom. For more information about the CEO Forum on Education & Technology, get a copy of the report or to find out your school's education technology status, log on to www.ceoforum.org , or call (202) 585-0250.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.