NCREL Policy Issues
Issue 15, January 2004
Policy Analysis
7. Financing for Technology-Related Professional Development
Policy studies are needed on whether states should provide funding to districts for professional development, should supply professional development themselves, or should pay vendors or nonprofit organizations to make these services available. To the extent that state funding to school districts for technology-related professional development is provided, this financial support should be allocated in ways that enhance equity. In the few instances in which states in the North Central region do provide special resources for professional development, these resources are not targeted specifically to educators with particularly challenging roles (other than where mandated by federal formula funding to large urban districts). In distributing its federal NCLB funds,Wisconsin requires that "at least 60 percent of the overall project request must be used for ongoing, sustained, high quality professional development integral to this project to improve teaching and learning through the use of technology" (Lohr & Roy, 2003, p. 8).
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has provided funding to many states for professional development activities targeted to principals and superintendents. For example, the Ohio Leadership for Integrating Technology project, funded in part through a grant from the Gates Foundation, provides educational technology leadership training to school superintendents and principals. Outside of these Gates-funded initiatives, few states in the North Central region provide financial assistance to districts that is targeted specifically to technology-related professional development for administrators.
Resources
Wisconsin Guidance on NCLB Funds
www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/imt/doc/guidnce03.doc
Ohio Leadership for Integrating Technology project
www.ohioschoolnet.k12.oh.us/3_programs/default.asp?pg=2&tab=fastfacts&program=OhioLIT
