Urging policy makers and school leaders "to take bold steps ... to improve education for America's 21st-century leaders," the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has issued new guidance for reforming the nation's schools with the help of technology.

Hoping to reach the attention of a new administration and Congress, SETDA's "Class of 2020: Action Plan for Education" notes that every child entering kindergarten this year deserves a high-quality, 21st-century education. The plan includes several white papers, a Student Bill of Rights, and a set of 10 recommendations to improve teaching and learning using technology.

"There is a crisis in American education today, as evidenced in falling graduation rates, entrants unprepared to enter college and the workforce, fewer people seeking science and math degrees, costly teacher turnover, and poor retention rates," said Mary Ann Wolf, SETDA's executive director. "Our students deserve better. We know how the proper uses of technology in education can transform teaching and learning to improve student engagement and achievement."

The report cites several statistics to press home the need for swift action. For example, according to SETDA, the high school graduation rate is just barely over 70 percent, and fewer than 50 percent of graduates are prepared for the workforce or college. Among all U.S. industries, education ranks dead last in the use of technology.

Also, by 2010, more than 90 percent of all scientists will be living in Asia, and the United States ranks 20th in the world for graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

With input from more than 100 national policy makers and all 50 state educational technology offices, SETDA's action plan sets forth the following 10 recommendations for national, state, and local education leaders:

1. Ensure that technology tools and resources are used continuously and seamlessly for instruction, collaboration, and assessment.
2. Expose all students (pre-K through 12th grade) to STEM fields and careers.
3. Make ongoing, sustainable professional development available to all teachers.
4. Use virtual learning opportunities for teachers to further their professional development, such as through online communities and education portals.
5. Incorporate innovative, consistent, and timely assessments into daily instruction.
6. Strengthen the home-school connection by using technology to communicate with parents on student progress.
7. Provide the necessary resources so that every community has the infrastructure to support learning with technology, including assessments and virtual learning.
8. Obtain societal support for education that uses technology from all stakeholders--students, parents, teachers, state and district administrators, business leaders, legislators, and local community members.
9. Provide federal leadership to support states and districts regarding technology's role in school reform by passing the ATTAIN Act.
10. Increase available funding for the e-Rate so that schools can acquire telecommunication services, internet access, internal connections, and maintenance of those connections.