This plan doesn't change the nonprofit's vision to lead the education community in a quest to use technology for student learning. It also keeps its mission to build state and national leaders' capacity to improve education through technology policies and practices. And its six priorities have generally stayed the same: advocacy, state action, strategic partnerships, professional learning, communications and operations.
But the association will carry out those priorities differently, said Tracy Weeks, executive director of the association.
For example, the priority "state action" calls for the association to help states work together on technology policies and practices that will improve equal access to education. The actual activities the association will do include making sure that its initiatives line up with what its members and the nation need. They also involve advancing policies and practices that address issues such as equal access to technology, broadband and devices.
As the national conversation continues to center around digital equity and ed tech integration, the association plans to work more closely with other organizations that share the same goals, including the Council of Chief State School Officers, CoSN, ISTE and the Center for Digital Education, Weeks said. And it plans to help states as they take advantage of provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act that allow states to integrate digital tools throughout students' learning in different areas.
"We really wanted to frame our strategic plan around how we can help support and advocate for our state leaders as they go down this path," Weeks said.
