Paving	
  a	
  Path	
  Forward	
  for	
  Digital	
  Learning	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  presentation	
  by	
  LEAD	
  Commission	
  Co-­?Chairs	
  Margaret	
  Spellings	
  &	
  James	
  P.	
  Steyer	
  before	
  the	
  	
  Federal	
  Communications	
  Commission	
  Open	
  Commission	
  Meeting	
  Friday,	
  July	
  19,	
  2013,	
  10:30	
  a.m.	
  	
  	
  	
   Good	
  morning.	
  	
  Chairwoman	
  Clyburn,	
  Commissioners	
  Rosenworcel	
  and	
  Pai,	
  thank	
  you	
  for	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  speak	
  with	
  you	
  today	
  about	
  modernizing	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  program,	
  and	
  thank	
  you	
  for	
  your	
  leadership	
  in	
  putting	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  Notice	
  of	
  Proposed	
  Rulemaking	
  on	
  today’s	
  Commission	
  meeting	
  agenda.	
  	
  I’m	
  Jim	
  Steyer,	
  here	
  with	
  Margaret	
  Spellings,	
  and	
  together	
  with	
  Jim	
  Coulter	
  and	
  Lee	
  Bollinger,	
  we	
  are	
  the	
  co-­?chairs	
  of	
  the	
  bipartisan	
  Leading	
  Education	
  by	
  Advancing	
  Digital	
  or	
  “LEAD”	
  Commission.	
  	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  seminal	
  moment	
  for	
  kids	
  and	
  education.	
  	
  With	
  your	
  support,	
  it	
  could	
  be	
  revolutionary.	
  	
  	
  As	
  a	
  LEAD	
  co-­?chair	
  for	
  the	
  past	
  sixteen	
  months,	
  as	
  CEO	
  of	
  Common	
  Sense	
  Media	
  for	
  the	
  past	
  decade,	
  as	
  a	
  teacher,	
  and	
  as	
  the	
  father	
  of	
  four,	
  I	
  have	
  seen	
  how	
  technology	
  –	
  used	
  wisely	
  –	
  can	
  dramatically	
  reform	
  the	
  education	
  landscape	
  –	
  and	
  transform	
  kids’	
  lives.	
  	
  	
  	
  Think	
  of	
  the	
  classroom	
  when	
  we	
  were	
  growing	
  up	
  –	
  35	
  kids	
  at	
  their	
  desks,	
  all	
  using	
  the	
  same	
  textbook,	
  with	
  their	
  teacher	
  at	
  a	
  blackboard	
  at	
  the	
  head	
  of	
  the	
  class.	
  	
  Thirty-­?five	
  different	
  kids	
  with	
  different	
  needs,	
  stuck	
  with	
  the	
  same	
  book,	
  the	
  same	
  blackboard.	
  	
  (I	
  don’t	
  know	
  about	
  you,	
  but	
  I	
  spent	
  an	
  awful	
  lot	
  of	
  time	
  staring	
  out	
  the	
  window).	
  	
  Today,	
  with	
  advances	
  in	
  technology	
  and	
  education,	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  better	
  way	
  to	
  offer	
  personalized	
  learning,	
  so	
  that	
  we	
  can	
  fully	
  engage	
  each	
  child,	
  improve	
  learning,	
  and	
  equip	
  American	
  students	
  with	
  the	
  21st	
  century	
  skills	
  they	
  need	
  –	
  and	
  our	
  nation	
  needs	
  –	
  to	
  compete	
  in	
  a	
  global	
  economy.	
  	
  	
  	
  With	
  digital	
  textbooks,	
  online	
  lessons,	
  learning	
  games	
  and	
  peer	
  networks,	
  we	
  can	
  help	
  students	
  enjoy	
  better	
  lessons	
  in	
  school	
  –	
  and	
  at	
  home,	
  too.	
  	
  Real-­?time	
  assessments	
  can	
  help	
  teachers	
  identify	
  how	
  each	
  child	
  learns,	
  where	
  he	
  needs	
  improvement,	
  and	
  which	
  learning	
  strategies	
  suit	
  him	
  best.	
  	
  New	
  online	
  tools	
  can	
  also	
  help	
  teachers	
  aggregate	
  and	
  display	
  this	
  data	
  for	
  the	
  student	
  and	
  his	
  parents,	
  so	
  that	
  they	
  can	
  be	
  more	
  engaged	
  in	
  personalizing	
  that	
  student’s	
  lesson	
  plans	
  and	
  monitoring	
  his	
  progress.	
  
	
   2	
  
	
   I	
  teach	
  at	
  Stanford	
  University	
  and	
  have	
  seen	
  how	
  students	
  and	
  professors	
  use	
  interactive	
  media	
  in	
  the	
  classroom	
  there.	
  	
  Let	
  me	
  share	
  a	
  few	
  examples	
  and	
  some	
  impressive	
  results	
  from	
  K-­?12	
  schools:	
  	
   • Last	
  month	
  I	
  traveled	
  to	
  Mooresville,	
  North	
  Carolina,	
  where	
  I	
  saw	
  students	
  with	
  laptops	
  working	
  with	
  teachers	
  who	
  use	
  online	
  tools	
  to	
  provide	
  highly	
  personalized	
  interactive	
  lessons.	
  	
  The	
  Mooresville	
  School	
  District	
  has	
  demonstrated	
  genuine	
  success	
  in	
  improving	
  education	
  outcomes	
  after	
  the	
  implementation	
  of	
  digital	
  learning	
  technology.	
  	
  One	
  of	
  North	
  Carolina’s	
  poorer	
  school	
  districts,	
  Mooresville	
  has	
  risen	
  to	
  become	
  one	
  of	
  its	
  most	
  effective.	
  	
  	
  o Mooresville	
  saw	
  a	
  300	
  percent	
  increase	
  in	
  scholarships,	
  an	
  increase	
  in	
  graduation	
  rates	
  from	
  62	
  percent	
  to	
  90	
  percent,	
  an	
  increase	
  in	
  academic	
  proficiency	
  from	
  64	
  percent	
  to	
  89	
  percent,	
  and	
  a	
  decline	
  in	
  dropout	
  rates	
  from	
  5.6	
  percent	
  to	
  1.8	
  percent.	
  	
  	
  	
  o Since	
  making	
  the	
  digital	
  transition	
  three	
  years	
  ago,	
  the	
  Mooresville	
  School	
  District	
  pass	
  rate	
  on	
  state	
  tests	
  in	
  reading,	
  math	
  and	
  science	
  has	
  increased	
  from	
  73	
  percent	
  to	
  88	
  percent.	
  o Although	
  Mooresville	
  ranks	
  100th	
  out	
  of	
  115	
  districts	
  in	
  North	
  Carolina	
  in	
  terms	
  of	
  dollars	
  spent	
  per	
  student,	
  it	
  now	
  ranks	
  third	
  in	
  test	
  scores	
  and	
  second	
  in	
  graduation	
  rates.	
  	
  	
   • In	
  digitally	
  integrated	
  High	
  Tech	
  High	
  in	
  San	
  Diego,	
  California,	
  the	
  classrooms	
  feel	
  more	
  like	
  labs.	
  	
  Classes	
  run	
  longer.	
  	
  Teachers	
  work	
  in	
  teams.	
  	
  And	
  students	
  present	
  in	
  PowerPoint.	
  	
  The	
  results	
  are	
  impressive,	
  from	
  student	
  performance	
  to	
  faculty	
  retention	
  and	
  parent	
  satisfaction.	
  	
  Perhaps	
  High	
  Tech	
  High’s	
  greatest	
  achievement	
  has	
  been	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  learning	
  environment	
  that	
  prepares	
  a	
  diverse	
  group	
  of	
  students	
  for	
  post-­?secondary	
  success.	
  o High	
  Tech	
  High	
  sees	
  100	
  percent	
  of	
  its	
  graduates	
  admitted	
  to	
  college,	
  with	
  approximately	
  80	
  percent	
  admitted	
  to	
  four-­?year	
  programs.	
  	
  	
  o More	
  than	
  one-­?third	
  of	
  these	
  students	
  are	
  first-­?generation	
  college	
  students.	
  	
  	
  	
  Unfortunately,	
  these	
  schools	
  are	
  the	
  exception,	
  not	
  the	
  rule,	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  States.	
  Meanwhile,	
  there	
  is	
  a	
  substantial	
  international	
  movement	
  to	
  implement	
  technology	
  in	
  the	
  classroom.	
  	
  International	
  leaders	
  in	
  digital	
  learning,	
  such	
  as	
  Singapore	
  and	
  South	
  Korea,	
  have	
  nationally	
  funded	
  pools	
  of	
  technology-­?enabled	
  model	
  schools	
  as	
  a	
  means	
  to	
  demonstrating	
  the	
  future	
  of	
  education.	
  	
  Even	
  countries	
  like	
  Turkey	
  and	
  Thailand	
  are	
  working	
  to	
  put	
  tablets	
  into	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  millions	
  of	
  students	
  in	
  urban	
  and	
  rural	
  schools.	
  	
  As	
  these	
  and	
  other	
  countries	
  are	
  forging	
  ahead,	
  we	
  are	
  falling	
  behind.	
  	
  	
  	
  The	
  LEAD	
  Commission	
  was	
  formed	
  in	
  March,	
  2012,	
  in	
  response	
  to	
  a	
  challenge	
  from	
  the	
  FCC	
  and	
  the	
  Department	
  of	
  Education	
  to	
  figure	
  out	
  why	
  the	
  adoption	
  of	
  education	
  technology	
  is	
  happening	
  so	
  slowly	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  and,	
  more	
  important,	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  national	
  roadmap	
  to	
  advance	
  digital	
  learning	
  across	
  the	
  country.	
  
	
   3	
  
	
  Over	
  the	
  past	
  year,	
  LEAD	
  has	
  spoken	
  with	
  a	
  broad	
  cross-­?section	
  of	
  teachers,	
  parents,	
  government	
  and	
  school	
  officials,	
  students,	
  and	
  education	
  tech	
  industry	
  leaders.	
  	
  Our	
  work	
  involved	
  hundreds	
  of	
  interviews,	
  product	
  demonstrations,	
  school	
  visits,	
  and	
  travels	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  and	
  around	
  the	
  world.	
  	
  We	
  polled	
  more	
  than	
  1,600	
  teachers	
  and	
  parents.	
  	
  And	
  we	
  held	
  a	
  conference	
  at	
  Stanford	
  University	
  with	
  100	
  education	
  thought	
  leaders	
  and	
  technology	
  experts	
  –	
  all	
  to	
  identify	
  key	
  adoption	
  challenges	
  and	
  find	
  a	
  way	
  forward.	
  	
  	
  	
  Based	
  on	
  this	
  work,	
  last	
  month	
  the	
  LEAD	
  Commission	
  released	
  a	
  five-­?point	
  blueprint,	
  outlining	
  specific	
  actions	
  to	
  accelerate	
  the	
  expansion	
  of	
  digital	
  learning	
  in	
  K-­?12	
  education	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  States.1	
  	
  Let	
  me	
  outline	
  the	
  five	
  recommendations:	
  	
   1. Solve	
  our	
  infrastructure	
  challenge	
  by	
  wiring	
  schools	
  with	
  high-­?speed	
  broadband;	
  2. Build	
  a	
  national	
  initiative	
  to	
  put	
  learning	
  devices	
  in	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  all	
  students	
  by	
  2020;	
  3. Accelerate	
  adoption	
  of	
  digital	
  curriculum	
  and	
  encourage	
  continued	
  innovation;	
  	
  4. Embrace	
  and	
  encourage	
  model	
  schools;	
  and	
  5. Invest	
  in	
  human	
  capital	
  to	
  train	
  our	
  teachers.	
  	
  All	
  of	
  these	
  recommendations	
  are	
  important	
  –	
  they	
  will	
  build	
  upon	
  each	
  other	
  to	
  reconstruct	
  the	
  education	
  landscape	
  –	
  but	
  the	
  sine	
  qua	
  non	
  is	
  to	
  bring	
  high-­?speed	
  broadband	
  to	
  the	
  schools.	
  	
  The	
  way	
  to	
  do	
  this	
  is	
  to	
  modernize	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  –	
  and	
  that’s	
  up	
  to	
  the	
  Commission,	
  that’s	
  up	
  to	
  you.	
  	
  Nothing	
  else	
  can	
  happen	
  if	
  the	
  infrastructure	
  isn’t	
  in	
  place.	
  	
  Put	
  simply,	
  asking	
  educators	
  to	
  improve	
  student	
  achievement	
  in	
  classrooms	
  with	
  20th	
  century	
  internet	
  access	
  is	
  like	
  asking	
  firefighters	
  to	
  put	
  out	
  a	
  massive	
  wild	
  fire	
  with	
  a	
  garden	
  hose.	
  	
  This	
  is	
  all	
  about	
  American	
  kids,	
  and	
  what	
  we	
  must	
  do	
  to	
  provide	
  them	
  with	
  the	
  21st	
  century	
  education	
  and	
  skills	
  they	
  need	
  to	
  join	
  a	
  tech-­?savvy	
  workforce.	
  	
  And	
  this	
  is	
  all	
  about	
  what	
  our	
  nation	
  needs	
  to	
  maintain	
  its	
  competitive	
  edge	
  in	
  today’s	
  global	
  economy.	
  	
  	
  With	
  that	
  introduction,	
  I	
  turn	
  to	
  my	
  colleague	
  Margaret	
  Spellings,	
  to	
  take	
  a	
  deeper	
  dive	
  into	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  and	
  needed	
  modernization.	
  	
  Margaret	
  was	
  the	
  Secretary	
  of	
  Education	
  from	
  2005	
  to	
  2009	
  and	
  has	
  served	
  in	
  several	
  other	
  key	
  positions	
  in	
  government	
  and	
  education.	
  	
  From	
  the	
  White	
  House	
  and	
  the	
  Statehouse	
  to	
  the	
  school	
  board	
  and	
  college	
  campus,	
  she	
  has	
  been	
  involved	
  with	
  education	
  policy	
  at	
  every	
  level.	
  	
   *	
  	
  	
  	
  *	
  	
  	
  	
  *	
  	
  	
  	
  *	
  	
  	
  	
  *	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  1 LEAD Commission, Paving a Path Forward for Digital Learning in the United States:  LEAD’s National Education Technology Initiative – A Five-Point Plan (June 2013), available at http://www.leadcommission.org/sites/default/files/LEAD%20Commission%20Blueprint.pdf. 
	
   4	
  
Thank	
  you	
  for	
  that	
  kind	
  introduction.	
  	
  I’m	
  pleased	
  to	
  be	
  here	
  to	
  discuss	
  how	
  technology	
  can	
  equip	
  our	
  students	
  for	
  the	
  21st	
  century	
  and	
  close	
  the	
  achievement	
  gap.	
  	
  	
  	
  I	
  have	
  spent	
  nearly	
  my	
  entire	
  career	
  working	
  on	
  reforms	
  to	
  make	
  education	
  more	
  innovative	
  and	
  responsive,	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  the	
  U.S.	
  education	
  system	
  is	
  competitive	
  on	
  the	
  international	
  stage,	
  and	
  to	
  provide	
  every	
  young	
  American	
  with	
  the	
  knowledge	
  and	
  skills	
  necessary	
  to	
  succeed.	
  	
  	
  	
  Let	
  me	
  begin	
  by	
  noting	
  that	
  E-­?Rate	
  has	
  been	
  a	
  success	
  in	
  doing	
  what	
  it	
  was	
  originally	
  designed	
  to	
  do—bring	
  Internet	
  connectivity	
  to	
  our	
  nation’s	
  schools.	
  	
  	
  From	
  1996,	
  when	
  E-­?Rate	
  was	
  first	
  implemented,	
  to	
  2004,	
  the	
  number	
  of	
  schools	
  connected	
  to	
  the	
  Internet	
  increased	
  from	
  14	
  percent	
  to	
  more	
  than	
  95	
  percent.	
  	
  The	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  has	
  provided	
  tremendous	
  benefits	
  for	
  rural	
  and	
  urban	
  schools,	
  public	
  and	
  private,	
  and	
  has	
  helped	
  bridge	
  the	
  digital	
  divide	
  across	
  America.	
  	
  	
  In	
  2008,	
  towards	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  my	
  tenure	
  as	
  Education	
  Secretary,	
  I	
  along	
  with	
  then	
  FCC	
  Chair	
  Kevin	
  Martin	
  issued	
  a	
  report	
  noting	
  that	
  as	
  a	
  result	
  of	
  the	
  Commission’s	
  E-­?Rate	
  program,	
  nearly	
  100	
  percent	
  of	
  schools	
  and	
  94	
  percent	
  of	
  classrooms	
  were	
  connected	
  to	
  the	
  Internet.	
  	
  Yet	
  back	
  then,	
  and	
  continuing	
  today,	
  the	
  challenge	
  has	
  been	
  to	
  use	
  this	
  technology	
  to	
  its	
  fullest	
  potential	
  to	
  deliver	
  more	
  personalized	
  instruction	
  to	
  address	
  each	
  student’s	
  needs	
  and	
  to	
  improve	
  student	
  achievement.	
  	
  Indeed,	
  for	
  over	
  a	
  decade,	
  I	
  have	
  been	
  calling	
  for	
  E-­?Rate	
  reform	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  the	
  program	
  is	
  updated	
  and	
  helping	
  to	
  move	
  the	
  needle	
  for	
  our	
  students.	
  	
  And	
  policymakers	
  on	
  both	
  sides	
  of	
  the	
  aisle	
  have	
  called	
  for	
  modernizing	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  as	
  well.	
  	
  The	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  should	
  be	
  updated	
  to	
  reflect	
  the	
  realities	
  and	
  needs	
  of	
  kids	
  and	
  schools	
  today.	
  	
  Several	
  key	
  goals	
  are	
  important	
  to	
  this	
  rulemaking	
  process:	
  • The	
  program	
  should	
  be	
  aligned	
  with	
  today’s	
  technology,	
  focusing	
  on	
  high-­?speed	
  bandwidth;	
  • It	
  should	
  focus	
  on	
  supporting	
  next	
  generation	
  models	
  such	
  as	
  online	
  and	
  blended	
  learning;	
  • The	
  program	
  should	
  be	
  simplified	
  to	
  make	
  it	
  easier	
  for	
  school	
  districts	
  to	
  access	
  E-­?Rate	
  funds;	
  	
  • It	
  should	
  be	
  updated	
  to	
  align	
  with	
  current	
  reform	
  efforts	
  in	
  education;	
  and	
  • It	
  should	
  better	
  connect	
  to	
  other	
  technology	
  efforts	
  at	
  the	
  state	
  and	
  local	
  level	
  so	
  that	
  we	
  leverage	
  other	
  efforts	
  and	
  build	
  a	
  cohesive	
  system.	
  	
  As	
  you	
  know,	
  technology	
  has	
  fundamentally	
  improved	
  so	
  many	
  aspects	
  of	
  our	
  lives	
  and	
  our	
  economy.	
  	
  Ironically,	
  however,	
  despite	
  the	
  affordable	
  education	
  technology	
  at	
  our	
  fingertips,	
  advances	
  in	
  education	
  technology	
  have	
  barely	
  penetrated	
  the	
  schoolhouse	
  doors.	
  	
  While	
  our	
  country	
  has	
  done	
  a	
  great	
  job	
  of	
  wiring	
  our	
  classrooms,	
  we	
  have	
  yet	
  to	
  realize	
  technology’s	
  potential	
  to	
  transform	
  the	
  way	
  education	
  is	
  defined	
  and	
  delivered	
  so	
  that	
  students	
  of	
  all	
  colors	
  in	
  all	
  communities	
  leave	
  our	
  schools	
  ready	
  to	
  succeed	
  in	
  post-­?secondary	
  education	
  or	
  the	
  workforce.	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
   5	
  
It’s	
  high	
  time	
  to	
  balance	
  the	
  equation	
  by	
  using	
  technology	
  to	
  amplify	
  educational	
  opportunity.	
  	
  New	
  technologies	
  can	
  help	
  students	
  access	
  customized	
  interactive	
  instruction	
  anytime,	
  anywhere,	
  at	
  any	
  pace	
  –	
  and	
  can	
  level	
  the	
  playing	
  field	
  for	
  students	
  regardless	
  of	
  geographic	
  location	
  or	
  socioeconomic	
  status.	
  	
  Education	
  technology	
  can	
  transform	
  the	
  way	
  teachers	
  teach	
  and	
  the	
  way	
  students	
  learn.	
  	
  Technology	
  can	
  help	
  educators	
  use	
  data	
  in	
  real	
  time	
  to	
  improve	
  instruction	
  and	
  help	
  school	
  and	
  district	
  leaders	
  improve	
  the	
  education	
  enterprise.	
  	
  Yet	
  neither	
  online	
  learning	
  nor	
  data	
  transmission	
  is	
  possible	
  without	
  high-­?speed	
  Internet	
  access.	
  	
  	
  	
  Although	
  most	
  of	
  our	
  schools	
  are	
  wired,	
  they	
  generally	
  do	
  not	
  have	
  the	
  high-­?speed	
  bandwidth	
  and	
  technology	
  they	
  need	
  to	
  use	
  state-­?of-­?the-­?art	
  digital	
  learning	
  tools.	
  	
  According	
  to	
  the	
  FCC’s	
  own	
  survey,	
  80	
  percent	
  of	
  schools	
  and	
  libraries	
  do	
  not	
  have	
  sufficient	
  broadband	
  to	
  fully	
  meet	
  their	
  current	
  needs;	
  and	
  according	
  to	
  EducationSuperHighway,	
  83	
  percent	
  have	
  outdated	
  Wi-­?Fi	
  networks.  	
   Inadequate high-speed Internet connectivity in the classrooms is the most immediate and expensive barrier to implementing technology in education.  The	
  centerpiece	
  of	
  solving	
  this	
  infrastructure	
  challenge	
  is	
  E-­?Rate.	
  	
  	
  Although	
  the	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  has	
  been	
  a	
  successful	
  in	
  bringing	
  affordable	
  telephony	
  and	
  basic	
  broadband	
  connectivity	
  to	
  K-­?12	
  classrooms,	
  in	
  the	
  era	
  of	
  tablets	
  and	
  digital	
  educational	
  content,	
  the	
  connectivity	
  provided	
  under	
  the	
  current	
  E-­?Rate	
  framework	
  is	
  no	
  longer	
  sufficient.	
  	
  We	
  need	
  an	
  E-­?Rate	
  program	
  that	
  supports	
  learning	
  that	
  can	
  happen	
  anytime,	
  anywhere,	
  at	
  any	
  pace.	
  	
  By	
  reviewing	
  how	
  E-­?Rate	
  funds	
  are	
  currently	
  used	
  and	
  how	
  they	
  could	
  be	
  better	
  used	
  in	
  the	
  future,	
  the	
  Commission	
  has	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  make	
  the	
  current	
  program	
  more	
  strategically	
  targeted	
  towards	
  the	
  needs	
  of	
  today’s	
  teachers	
  and	
  students.	
  	
  By	
  updating	
  the	
  program,	
  E-­?Rate	
  can	
  provide	
  the	
  funding	
  necessary	
  to	
  migrate	
  our	
  schools	
  from	
  the	
  current	
  inadequate	
  bandwidth	
  to	
  high-­?speed	
  broadband	
  in	
  a	
  timely,	
  efficient	
  manner.	
  	
  The	
  effort	
  to	
  modernize	
  E-­?Rate	
  and	
  build	
  the	
  necessary	
  infrastructure	
  will	
  take	
  many	
  years,	
  and	
  must	
  begin	
  immediately.	
  	
  Simply	
  put,	
  the	
  time	
  is	
  ripe	
  for	
  E-­?Rate	
  reform.	
  	
  Five	
  years	
  ago,	
  LEAD’s	
  blueprint	
  for	
  digital	
  learning	
  would	
  have	
  been	
  prohibitively	
  expensive	
  with	
  $1,000	
  work-­?stations,	
  shrink-­?wrapped	
  sub-­?par	
  software,	
  and	
  torn-­?up	
  walls	
  to	
  wire	
  school	
  buildings.	
  	
  Today,	
  thanks	
  to	
  the	
  plummeting	
  costs	
  of	
  tablet	
  and	
  laptop	
  computers,	
  innovative	
  cloud-­?based	
  software,	
  and	
  enterprise	
  Wi-­?Fi	
  technology,	
  implementation	
  is	
  more	
  affordable.	
  	
  LEAD’s	
  plan	
  is	
  ambitious	
  but	
  achievable,	
  and	
  an	
  imperative	
  for	
  our	
  schools,	
  our	
  students,	
  the	
  creation	
  of	
  a	
  technology-­?savvy	
  workforce	
  and	
  in	
  turn,	
  our	
  economy.	
  	
  We	
  can’t	
  afford	
  to	
  wait.	
  	
  Five	
  years	
  from	
  now,	
  it	
  will	
  be	
  too	
  late.	
  	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  historic	
  opportunity	
  for	
  the	
  Commission	
  to	
  craft	
  a	
  modernized	
  and	
  strengthened	
  E-­?Rate	
  program,	
  so	
  current	
  and	
  future	
  generations	
  of	
  American	
  students	
  can	
  obtain	
  the	
  education	
  and	
  skills	
  they	
  need.	
  	
  Today,	
  technology	
  transforms	
  every	
  business,	
  every	
  market,	
  everything	
  it	
  touches.	
  	
  Let’s	
  make	
  sure	
  that	
  technology	
  transforms	
  the	
  way	
  our	
  children	
  learn	
  and	
  achieve.	
  	
  Enhancing	
  technology	
  in	
  our	
  schools	
  is	
  affordable,	
  it	
  is	
  
	
   6	
  
achievable,	
  and	
  it	
  is	
  imperative	
  if	
  we,	
  as	
  a	
  nation,	
  are	
  to	
  compete	
  and	
  win	
  in	
  today’s	
  global	
  economy.	
  	
  	
  	
  We	
  look	
  forward	
  to	
  working	
  with	
  the	
  Commission,	
  other	
  federal	
  and	
  state	
  	
  policymakers,	
  educators,	
  business	
  leaders,	
  and	
  other	
  stakeholders	
  to	
  implement	
  these	
  important	
  education	
  reforms.	
  	
  	
  Thank	
  you.