Tech in Schools: Federal Cuts Sow Concern

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a new federal plan coming in early 2010

Cutbacks aren't keeping some states from launching ambitious programs. In June, Maine said it's broadening a plan to equip middle school students with Apple (AAPL) laptops to all high schools that choose to take part. The program does not use any federal dollars; it redirects district funds that would otherwise be used to build computer labs, says David Connerty-Marin, director of communications for the Maine Education Dept.

The U.S. Education Dept.'s Shelton says one of the challenges of investing heavily in school technology is a lack of broad research about what tools and techniques are effective. Last August, Congress approved a new National Center for Research in Advanced Information & Digital Technologies, a nonprofit that will be charged with tracking the progress of many of the programs that result from the stimulus package. "What we ought to be doing is getting short-term feedback and refining the approach so it actually gets better," he says.

Intel (INTC) and Apple are sponsoring Project RED, a year-long national study of various methods for reducing educational costs through technology. The researchers will share findings with state decision makers throughout the project, which will be completed in June 2010. "We believe the data will demonstrate the financial impact of delivering technology in education," says Eileen Lento, a government and education strategist for Intel. "Not only are we finding out how to do it more effectively but we're finding out how to do it more efficiently."

Some worries over the future of federal funding may be addressed in the first quarter of 2010, when the U.S. Education Dept. unveils a new national education-technology plan to take effect the following year. "We see educational technology as being something that is going to be a core element of education," Shelton says. "Any signal that people are taking from the cuts and budgets this year are misinterpretations." Shelton wouldn't comment on whether the new plan will include additional funds for technology. For now, educators remain skeptical, says ISTE's Knezek: "They know that when the stimulus runs out, the chance of increasing the $100 million is unlikely."

Douglas MacMillan is a staff writer for BusinessWeek in New York.

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