Citing legislation she authored called the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) Act, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) testified today before the Committee on Education and Labor about the importance of using technology in the classroom to help students do better in school.

"Obtaining critical technological skills is of greatest concern to low-income minority students who are falling further behind their higher-income peers in terms of 21st Century college and workplace skills,” said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, who serves on the Appropriations Education Subcommittee which has funding jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Education and federal education programs.  “An effective federal program that provides access to technology for low-income and minority students will help to close this gap."

The congresswoman’s legislation provides federal funding to help schools that serve disadvantaged and low-income students purchase computers, software and other technology.  The measure ensures adequate teacher training in the use of technology to teach students and puts in place standards to ensure all students are technologically literate by the 8th grade.  The bill also requires that states provide guidance to districts on how to ensure that schools have access to the most up-to-date computers and software.  Finally, the ATTAIN Act calls for research initiatives to determine the effectiveness of the new technology program at the state and national levels.

The congresswoman testified that, “When schools are properly equipped to meet the technology needs of students and when they have properly trained teachers, the students are more engaged, eager to learn, and ultimately better prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st Century."

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard is sponsoring the ATTAIN Act along with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) who is a member of the Committee on Education and Labor.  Representatives Roybal-Allard and Hinojosa are advocating for the incorporation of the ATTAIN Act into the larger No Child Left Behind Reauthorization which is expected to be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives in the near future.

The following is the full text of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard’s May 16 Testimony Before the Committee on Education and Labor:

“Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee,

Thank you for this opportunity to present my recommendations for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. Of particular interest to me is Title II, Part D of the law entitled “Enhancing Education Through Technology” or, as it is better known, the EETT program.

As the Committee is well aware, technology skills are more critical than ever if America’s children are going to succeed and keep our country competitive in the world economy. 

Obtaining critical technological skills is of greatest concern to low-income minority students who are falling further behind their higher-income peers in terms of 21st Century college and workplace skills. An effective federal program that provides greater access to technology for low-income and minority students will help to close this gap.

That is why Congressman Hinojosa and I have devised a bill to reauthorize Title II, Part D of the No Child Left Behind Act. 

Our bill, the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation or the “ATTAIN” Act of 2007, more clearly defines the allowable uses of funds and changes the ratio of formula to competitive grants from the current 50-50 split to a 60-40 split. This would ensure that the majority of funds go where they are needed most – to low-income, disadvantaged schools as defined under the Title I formula. 

Access to the latest technology in itself however will not raise student achievement.  Teachers must also be properly trained to effectively teach the newest technology.  Therefore, our bill stipulates that 40 percent of the formula funds must be set aside for meaningful, rigorous and ongoing professional teacher development. The remaining 60 percent of funds could be used for either professional development or technology tools.

The ATTAIN Act also requires that competitive funds only be used for systemic school reform.  Priority would be given to schools that have not met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals and to schools with large populations of Limited English Proficient students or students with disabilities. 

By making both the formula and competitive grants more prescriptive, the legislation will help make the program more adept at improving student academic achievement, student technology literacy, and preparedness for the 21st Century workforce.

Mr. Chairman, despite current law, there has been limited success in ensuring that all our nation’s students are technologically literate by the 8th grade. The ATTAIN Act helps address this problem by creating a definition of student technology literacy and requiring that states assess technology literacy by the eighth grade. State assessments would not place additional burdens on students, teachers, or administrators, as they would not be counted towards AYP determinations.

Another important aspect of the ATTAIN Act is the establishment of standards on the average age of technology equipment.  While it is true that most of our schools have computers, establishing standards is important because many school computers are not up-to-date or able to sustain the latest modern-day software tools.  

Finally, the ATTAIN Act would greatly increase the level of evaluation and scientifically-based research at the national and state levels.  This will help determine the program’s effectiveness in raising student academic achievement.

Mr. Chairman, when schools are properly equipped to meet the technology needs of students and when they have properly trained teachers, students are engaged, eager to learn, and are ultimately better prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Based on the expert guidance we have gathered in drafting this bill and the support we have from education groups, we believe the ATTAIN Act will greatly help to close the gap between the technology “haves and have-nots.”

I hope that you and the Committee will seriously consider the provisions outlined in the ATTAIN Act, and incorporate them into the No Child Left Behind reauthorization bill. 

Thank you, again, for the opportunity to present the ATTAIN Act before the Committee today and thank you, Mr. Chairman, for all you do to enhance the quality of education for America’s children.”
 

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