As eSchool News reported on Jan. 24, President Bush cited the competitiveness of American students as a critical challenge in his 2007 State of the Union address (see story: Bush to Congress: Renew NCLB this year). It's a challenge that also has resonated with governors and other high-ranking state officials from coast to coast.

From increasing the rigor of the high school curriculum, to focusing more attention on math, science, and technology instruction, many U.S. governors this year have proposed new education programs that aim to raise high school graduation rates and better prepare students for success in the 21st century. And many of these proposals, in turn, rely on the use of educational technology.

Laptops and individual learning plans

In Arizona, for instance, students in seven high schools would be given laptop computers under a $5 million pilot project floated Jan. 24 by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.

The idea is that teachers "can better prepare students for the digital economy in a context where every student has his or her own laptop," Horne said in a "state of education" address delivered to state lawmakers.

Horne said he wanted to build on the success of Empire High School in Arizona's Vail School District (see story: All-digital school passes first test) but was proposing only a limited pilot program for now "to avoid the pitfalls of failures experienced by other states."

The program's costs would be split between the state and participating schools, Horne said as he requested a $2.5 million state appropriation. He added: "It will be an important investment in keeping Arizona on the cutting edge of technology in education, and doing so carefully and successfully."

Participating schools would be Benson High School in Cochise County, Vail High School Charter School in Pima County, Rio Rico High School in Santa Cruz County, Florence High School in Pinal County, Cyber High School in the Phoenix Union High School District, Gilbert Classical Academy in the Gilbert Unified School District, and Coconino High School in the Flagstaff Unified School District.

Horne's annual address also requested a $400,000 appropriation for a state web-based system for all students in grades 7-12 to have individualized learning plans.

"Principals would be responsible to see that all students had these plans, and they would be a requirement for graduation, to assure that they were universal," he said.

The purpose of the plans is to ensure that every student gets one-on-one advice from educators in identifying a career path. Currently, some students rarely meet with guidance counselors, who are overwhelmed with demand. Arizona reportedly averages one counselor for every 783 students, one of the highest ratios in the country.