SETDA

?? Congratulations Mary Reynolds! ?? ?? We are thrilled to honor Mary Reynolds, Education Group Chief Information Officer at the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT), as the recipient of the 2024 SETDA State Policymaker of the Year Award. Although Mary couldn’t be with us in person, she graciously accepted the award virtually at the 2024 Leadership Summit in Arlington, VA. ?? Mary’s impact on educational technology in Illinois has been nothing short of transformative. Under her leadership at DoIT, she has overseen secure, statewide IT infrastructure, including the Illinois Century Network (ICN), which supports approximately 60% of Illinois schools. Her advocacy for innovative STEAM initiatives and digital equity has empowered countless student outcomes across the state. ???? ?? Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g-Nat756 #SETDA #EdTech

?? Congratulations Angela Thi Bennett! ?? ?? We are thrilled to recognize Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Digital Equity at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as the recipient of the 2024 SETDA Federal Policymaker of the Year Award. While Angela couldn’t be with us in person, she graciously accepted the award virtually at our recent 2024 Leadership Summit in Arlington, VA. ?? Angela’s work in launching the Digital Equity Act programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been truly transformative. She has been a tireless advocate for ensuring that states prioritize the needs of students and families, embedding these priorities into funding requirements. Through her leadership, she’s strengthened connections between NTIA and the education sector, championing digital learning opportunities for all. ???Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g-2Mvm2k #SETDA #EdTech

?? Congrats to the 2024 SETDA State Achievement Award Recipients! ?? ?? These awards were given at our recent 2024 Leadership Summit in Arlington, VA and they highlight innovative projects that are transforming education across the nation. This year’s honorees are leading the way in digital content, AI-powered learning, and professional development: ?? Digital Content: The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was recognized for their EdTech Strategic Planning Guide and Edtech Peer Learning Cohort (PLC). These resources empower district leaders with tools to enhance edtech infrastructure, impacting diverse schools statewide. ?? Digital Learning: The Indiana Department of Education was recognized for their AI-Powered Platform Pilot Grant, which is extending AI-driven tutoring and game-based learning to over 45,000 students and 2,500 educators. This initiative makes Indiana a trailblazer in AI funding for classrooms! ?? Professional Learning: NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education) was honored for their Online Professional Development for ALL Teachers in NYS initiative. With over 120,000 hours of PD focused on digital fluency, especially in high-need districts, this program is driving impactful change. ?? Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g8jn98kZ #SETDA #EdTech

?? Congratulations Jose Gonzalez! ?? ?? We are thrilled to share that Jose Gonzalez, Chief Technology Officer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), has been named the recipient of the 2024 Candice Dodson Influencer Award at last week's SETDA Leadership Summit! The Candice Dodson Influencer Award honors leaders who carry forward Dodson’s legacy of dedication, influence, and personal contributions to the educational technology field. Since taking on his role at LACOE, José has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to expanding equitable access to technology. His leadership in digital literacy, infrastructure enhancement, and community collaboration ensures that students, educators, and families across Los Angeles County have access to the resources they need to succeed. ???? By embodying the spirit of this award, José carries Candice Dodson’s legacy forward, championing equity, innovation, and transformative change in education. His work stands as a powerful testament to the impact of collaborative, tech-enabled learning environments. ?? Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/g-qVxvj7 #SETDA #EdTech

?? Congratulations Lisa Helme! ?? ?? We are thrilled to share that Lisa Helme, Assistant Director of the Student Pathways Division at the Vermont Agency of Education, has been given the 2024 State Leader of the Year (SLY) Award at last week's SETDA Leadership Summit! Since joining SETDA in 2021, Lisa has been a driving force in the educational technology space. Her tireless advocacy for cybersecurity and digital literacy, coupled with her support for Vermont’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, has made a lasting impact on the state’s education system. Lisa’s collaborative spirit and ability to unite educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders reflect her commitment to advancing secure, innovative technology use in schools. ???? ?? Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gX_raN7r #SETDA #EdTech

??? Day 3 of SETDA’s 2024 Leadership Summit: ??Ed Forum ??Our mini event within an event, SETDA’s Ed Forum brought together attendees for an impactful day focused on the future of edtech. ?We kicked off with the 2024 State EdTech Trends Survey and Report Overview, where leaders like Evo Popoff from Whiteboard Advisors, Calypso Gilstrap from Virginia Department of Education Isabella Zachariah (Hernandez) from U.S. Department of Education, Keith Krueger from Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), and Bre Urness-Straight, M.Ed. from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction shared invaluable insights. ?Later, Kelli Suding, M.Ed. and Lindsay Jones from CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) led a dynamic discussion on closing the digital divide, empowering attendees to build stronger networks of support for digital access. ?Bruce Mehlman of Mehlman Consulting led a talk on Elections Outlook & Policy Updates, which wrapped up the forum with an eye-opening look at policy trends affecting our field with the preisdential election right around the corner. ??Thank you to everyone who made this event so enriching and special thanks to our session sponsor Headstream Innovation by SecondMuse. #SETDA #EdTech

??? Day 3 of SETDA’s 2024 Leadership Summit: Panel Discussion on Student Privacy ? ?? This discussion brought together the insights on the complexities and challenges of safeguarding student data privacy across districts. Here are some key takeaways: ? The importance of assessing how districts are currently managing student data privacy. ? The difficulties in identifying and providing the right resources to strengthen privacy practices. ? The role of CoSN’s new partnership program in offering targeted support to districts, helping to ensure student data protection at all levels. ??Thank you to?Jill Darrough at North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Brad Hagg at Indiana Department of Education, Tim McIlvain at Learning Technology Center, and Linnette Attai at Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) for making this panel discussion possible! #SETDA #EdTech

????Day 3 of SETDA’s 2024 Leadership Summit: ?? Leading Through Change.? ? ?? We begin our third day of the Leadership Summit with our special guest speaker Michael Stevens, Ed.D He led us through a very timely talk on how to lead an organization through change. Thank you for giving us different models of leadership for us to apply in our different organizations. ?? Special thanks to zSpace, Inc. for being our breakfast guest speaker sponsor as well! #SETDA #EdTech

?? Day 2 of SETDA’s 2024 Leadership Summit: ??Awards Dinner ??? We ended the day with an amazing dinner ceremony celebrating our inspiring edtech leaders changing the industry! More information on our award recipients will be released soon. ?? A big thank you to ClassLink for sponsoring this session. #SETDA #EdTech

?? Day 2 of SETDA’s 2024 Leadership Summit: ??Our Future Leaders ??Students from Arlington Tech, Governor's STEM Academy Arlington Public Schools came and shared their amazing experience on how they used technology to solve meaningful problems. ??Thank you for joining us and inspiring us with your enthusiasm for edtech! And thank you Jennifer Fritschi, Ph.D for moderating this session. #SETDA #EdTech