Several members of the MoakCasey team recently contributed an op-ed to the Texas Tribune calling on state leaders to increase their investments in educational technology and classroom materials through the Instructional Materials and Technology Allotment (IMTA).
“The [IMTA] currently provides funding for classroom materials that can include learning devices. However, districts often access that funding for other items such as textbooks or workbooks. So far, there has been no accountability to ensure all students have a working learning device and current levels of funding are not sufficient to meet the long-term technology needs of districts.
MoakCasey encourages lawmakers to increase the IMTA and designate money to provide ongoing funding for technology.
With the state’s unprecedented $27 billion budget surplus, there’s no better time to invest in technology for all public schools than now.
Technology is already a necessary part of students’ lives and an indispensable tool to participate in the digital economy. The State needs to fund it as if it is a necessary part of our future.”
You can read the full op-ed here.