Connecting the National Educational Technology Plan to State Policy: A Roadmap for State Boards

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) represents a significant effort to help states and schools leverage technology to modernize K-12 education in the United States. Because state boards of education critically shape education policy in their states, they can use the NETP to drive substantial improvements in digital access and educational opportunities.

As the flagship document for U.S. education technology policy, the NETP offers a vision for how technology can be used to transform teaching and learning.[1] The 2024 edition builds upon previous versions by emphasizing equity, active use, and collaborative leadership. It articulates a comprehensive strategy for integrating technology into K-12 education to improve student outcomes, support educators, and enhance the overall learning environment. My organization, SETDA, led a coalition of organizations that supported and provided input to the plan’s creation for the U.S. Department of Education.[2]

Technology can enhance educational experiences and outcomes in a number of ways. It helps educators tailor instruction to meet individual student needs, including English learners or those with disabilities. It facilitates collaboration and communication, both within the classroom and beyond, preparing students for a connected world. It engages students through interactive and multimedia content, making learning more dynamic and engaging. And it equips them with the digital skills they need for postsecondary education and careers.[3]

Bridging Technology Divides

If some students have access to digital technology and skills and others do not, the resource divides that plague public education will widen. For this reason, the NETP outlines key goals for creating an inclusive, high-quality educational experience for all students:

• Use divide. Improve students’ active use of technology to enhance learning through dynamic applications that enable exploration, creation, and critical analysis of academic content.
• Design divide. Provide opportunities for educators to expand their professional learning and build the capacities needed to design technology-enabled learning experiences.
• Access divide. Ensure equitable access to educational technology for students and educators, including connectivity, devices, digital content, and the necessary infrastructure and staff to support learning environments where technology is seamlessly integrated. This goal also encompasses accessibility, digital health and safety, and digital citizenship.

The access divide affects educational outcomes significantly, as students without access to technology and the internet may struggle to complete assignments, conduct research, or participate in learning activities. For rural and less populated states, often-limited infrastructure and resources make this challenge particularly acute.

While states made huge strides to address these divides during the pandemic, there is still work to do to close them, especially the design divide. Teachers are at the forefront of implementing technology in the classroom, but they need professional learning, digital tools, and ongoing support. By equipping teachers with these resources, states can enhance their ability to integrate technology into their teaching effectively, thereby improving student learning outcomes. Here too, professional learning opportunities may be limited for teachers in some districts.

Technologies that powerfully enhance educational outcomes abound. Personalized learning platforms adapt to a student’s pace and preferences and target instruction to meet their needs. Data analytics help educators identify where students are struggling and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly. Modern teaching practices, such as blended learning, project-based learning, and inquiry-based learning, engage students more deeply, foster their deeper learning, and let them practice critical thinking and collaboration skills. Educational technology can also help mitigate the challenges of limited access to specialized educators and resources—for example, through online Advanced Placement and computer science courses.

Students must be equipped with the necessary skills to excel in a digital world. These skills encompass basic digital literacy but also competencies in using technology for creative and analytical purposes.[4] Preparing students for a digital future means integrating technology across curricula and ensuring that students can use digital tools proficiently and that they understand the ethical implications of digital citizenship.

Significance for State Boards

State boards of education are uniquely positioned to lead and influence the integration of technology into K-12 education. They can develop policies that promote equitable access to technology, provide professional learning for educators, and ensure that schools have the necessary infrastructure. By aligning state policies with the goals of the NETP, state boards can help create learning environments where technology enhances teaching and learning for all students.

State education agencies (SEAs), governors’ offices, and legislatures also play pivotal roles. Together with state boards, they can develop the state’s vision for digital learning, articulated through comprehensive state digital learning plans or “portraits of a learning environment” that complement the state’s portrait of a learner. This vision ought to address the unique challenges of underresourced school districts and have strategies to address the needs of urban and less populated areas.

State boards should charge their SEAs with adopting modern practices that align with the NETP. State boards can urge or mandate that SEAs develop and implement digital learning plans that prioritize technology’s role in supporting learning and advancing other state goals. State boards can advocate for robust governance structures. Is there a cabinet-level state ed tech director? Is there a state-level ed tech office? Ongoing leadership and oversight are critical for driving technology initiatives.[5]

State boards should also pay attention to how technology is supporting all the areas an SEA oversees: curriculum and instruction, assessment and accountability, professional learning, special education, English learners, and school administration.

Curriculum and instruction. By developing and promoting statewide standards for digital learning, SEAs can ensure that all districts have access to high-quality content that enhances curriculum delivery. States can provide resources, guidance, and funding to help districts procure technologies that enable personalized learning and support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, which provide a framework for accommodating individual student learning differences and promoting inclusive practices.[6] Additionally, SEAs can help districts by fostering partnerships with technology providers and creating a centralized repository of high-quality digital resources, including openly licensed ones.[7] These efforts align with learning standards and goals, ensuring that technology supports and enriches curriculum and instruction across all districts.

Assessment and accountability. By implementing statewide systems for real-time assessment and feedback, SEAs can help educators track student progress more effectively and adjust instruction accordingly. State-level support can streamline data collection and analysis, providing districts with the tools and resources needed to use data efficiently for accountability purposes. Such tools include centralized data processing systems that districts can access, professional learning on data-informed instruction, and assistance with ensuring that robust data privacy and security measures are in place.

Massachusetts, for example, has pioneered the use of data-informed models with its education data warehouse project, which gives educators data analysis tools to enable personalized instruction while adhering to stringent privacy standards.

The NETP further challenges states and districts to rethink what assessment looks like. It encourages exploring options beyond traditional multiple-choice tests or essays and advocates for dynamic, interactive assessments that reinforce student agency and capture a wider range of skills and learning outcomes.

Professional learning. Professional learning on integrating technology effectively in classrooms should be job-embedded, ongoing, and encompass a variety of modalities—online training modules, virtual workshops, and collaborative platforms that give educators opportunities to enhance their skills.[8] By partnering with educational experts and technology providers, states can ensure that such learning meets the diverse needs of educators across districts. Special emphasis should be placed on reaching teachers in rural areas, where access to high-quality professional learning may be limited.

North Carolina’s Digital Learning Initiative, for example, includes comprehensive training programs for educators, peer mentoring, and a digital competency framework. These efforts have empowered teachers to effectively use technology in their classrooms, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.

Mississippi’s SEA launched a Digital Learning Coaching program during the pandemic. The program deployed coaches to help districts and educators review their data and support the effective use of technology. Most recently, the state co-developed a Digital Learning Instructional Guide with academics and technology experts to help educators and district leaders identify where they stand on implementation and where they can improve.[9]

Professional learning should cover UDL principles. States can provide workshops and resources that help educators design lessons and use technology to meet diverse needs. Teachers that incorporate UDL are better poised to create flexible environments that present content in multiple ways, engage every learner, and support every student’s unique preferences and abilities.

Special education. SEAs can help districts identify and adopt appropriate assistive technologies and accessible educational materials that cater to the diverse needs of students with disabilities. States can allocate funding and facilitate partnerships with technology providers to ensure equitable access across districts. SEAs can also provide educators with professional learning in how to effectively integrate assistive technologies and accessible educational materials into their instructional practices.

English learners. SEAs can identify and recommend technology tools, language learning programs, and other resources that cater to the diverse linguistic needs of English learners. States can allocate funding to districts for acquisition of these technologies and ensure equitable access.

School administration. Digital platforms streamline administrative tasks; improve communication between school staff, parents, and caregivers; and enhance resource management. Updating procurement criteria and data collection processes can further optimize administrative efficiency and support informed decision making.

State Policy Frameworks

Robust policy frameworks are the foundation for support of digital learning. These frameworks should encompass standards for digital literacy, guidelines for technology integration in classrooms, and protocols for data privacy, security, and safety. Policies must also address infrastructure needs, ensuring that all schools have the necessary hardware and high-speed connectivity. States likely will need to leverage federal funding and partnerships with private companies to improve internet access and technological resources.[10]

Funding and resource allocation. Sustainable funding and resource allocation are critical to implementing digital learning equitably across districts. State boards should advocate for budgets that support technology procurement and refresh cycles, infrastructure upgrades, ongoing maintenance, and information technology and educational technology staff. Innovative funding models, including public-private partnerships, can help bridge funding gaps. In less populated states, it is crucial to ensure that funds are distributed equitably and paired with deliberate implementation support and guidance, addressing the needs of rural schools, which may require more substantial investments to achieve parity with urban counterparts.

Equitable access. By addressing disparities between rural and urban areas, states can ensure that every student, regardless of where they go to school, has access to high-quality digital learning opportunities. State-sponsored programs, procurement contracts, cooperative service models, and collaborations with local governments and private-sector partners can help provide the necessary resources and support.

Through initiatives like the New Mexico Homework Gap Team, New Mexico has expanded internet connectivity in rural areas and provided devices to students in need. This approach has significantly reduced the digital divide and ensured that more students have the tools necessary for digital learning.

Through active collaboration with state offices that advance digital equity and broadband access, state boards can support and integrate the strategies of state digital equity plans.[11] These plans outline strategies to ensure that all students have access to the necessary technology and internet connectivity. State boards should consider initiatives such as mobile hotspots, community Wi-Fi, and satellite internet services to reach students in remote or hard to reach areas.

Professional learning. State policies should drive professional learning toward a focus on pedagogy and digital literacy and provide continuous support and resources. Programs should be grounded in pedagogy and practice, aligned to state and district learning goals, and centered on using digital tools effectively, integrating technology into lessons and units of study, and staying up to date with technological advances. State boards and SEAs could consider offering online course offerings, cohort models, and virtual mentoring.

State Board Conversations

All state boards—and even those that have limited direct authority over policy and funding—influence change in their states through the conversations they initiate and the questions they ask. State boards can ask these questions to shape effective policies and strategies:

• How can state policies ensure equitable digital access for all students? Addressing this question requires an exploration of funding mechanisms, partnerships, and innovative solutions to provide technology and connectivity to underserved areas, both rural and urban.

• What strategies support teachers in integrating technology effectively? Professional learning, peer mentoring, and communities of practice are essential strategies. Providing teachers with the time and resources to experiment and innovate is also crucial.

• How can data be used responsibly to personalize learning while protecting student privacy? Developing clear guidelines and policies on data use, ensuring transparency, and educating all involved parties—teachers, support staff, parents, and caregivers—about data privacy are vital steps. Collaboration with experts is crucial.

• What measures can state boards take to support modern teaching practices?[12] Pilot programs, grants for innovative projects, and recognition programs for schools and teachers who excel in integrating technology are effective means.

• How can states collaborate with federal initiatives and local communities to modernize classrooms? Aligning state policies with federal programs like E-Rate—which offers schools and libraries discounts for telecommunications and internet services—and engaging local communities in planning and implementation can ensure cohesive, comprehensive modernization efforts.

The 2024 NETP offers a comprehensive vision for integrating technology into education, but its success depends on the active involvement and leadership of state boards. By developing clear policies, ensuring equitable access, supporting teachers, and fostering innovative practices, state boards can drive the transformation of education to meet the demands of the digital age.

Julia Fallon is executive director of SETDA, where she works with state and territorial digital learning leaders to empower the education community to leverage technology for learning, teaching, and school operations.

Resources

• 2024 National Educational Technology Plan, U.S. Department of Education
• State EdTech Trends Reports, SETDA

Notes

[1] U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, “A Call to Action for Closing the Digital Access, Design, and Use Divides: 2024 National Educational Technology Plan” (2024), https://tech.ed.gov/netp.

[2] Organizations included InnovateEDU, Learning Forward, Project Tomorrow, and Whiteboard Advisors.

[3] Amanda Bergson-Shilcock and Roderick Taylor, “Closing the Digital Skill Divide: The Payoff for Workers, Business, and the Economy” (National Skills Coalition, February 2023).

[4] Henry Jenkins, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century (MIT Press, 2009).

[5] U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, “The Digital Access Divide,” web page.

[6] CAST, Universal Design for Learning Guidelines, version 3.0 (2024).

[7] U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, “Open Education,” web page.

[8] Every Student Succeeds Act, Title VIII, Section 8002, Definitions (42).

[9] Mississippi Department of Education, Digital Learning Instruction Guide (updated August 2023).

[10] The 2022 Dear Colleague Letter from the Office of Educational Technology offers insights and guidelines for leveraging federal funding to support these efforts, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and collaboration to maximize impact.

[11] NDIA, State Digital Equity Plan Toolkit (2022).

[12] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, How People Learn II: Learners, Contexts, and Cultures, Consensus Study Report (National Academies Press, 2018).