We live in very exciting times! In this new century we have seen a renewed commitment to quality education for all children and the assurance that no child will be left behind. We have entered into the dot.com and global era where countries and people will prosper or fail based on their capacity to think, to analyze and to solve problems. Today we have the opportunity to examine old assumptions with the understanding that the schoolrooms of tomorrow won't even resemble the best of those we have today.

As I speak with education groups, a number of questions surrounding the issue of annual testing and how it relates to technology arise. Shouldl annual testing include technology? If so, what should students be expected to know? How shouldl students demonstrate performance? How should schools prepare them? Will technology skills become a requirement for graduation or grade advancement? How should teachers be prepared?

The states' role — Key to answering these questions is the recognition that legal responsibility for the education of our children belongs primarily to the states. The federal government plays a supporting role, and over the years has influenced America's schools by funding hundreds of programs designed to address problems in education. These federal programs are spread across 39 agencies at a cost of $120 billion dollars a year.

I emphasize this point because it is necessary to distinguish between federal and state roles in order to address the questions of testing and technology. The present conversation at the national level is about how federal dollars are targeted for improving student achievement and how states and districts will be accountable for those federal dollars. It clearly recognizes that the states will craft the total educational program and, along with school districts, are best able to implement change.

Need for technology skills — Most of us would agree that technology skills are essential and basic in the 21st century. ISTE has framed a set of student standards that states have used as a model in crafting their state technology standards. The decision as to whether these are "stand alone" standards or embedded within subject areas has been a state decision.

All states, except for two, have developed and are implementing new performance-based tests to align with new academic standards. Whether technology skills are included is up to each individual state.

While it is the states' role to determine graduation and promotion requirements, many states have added, or are in the process of adding, a requirement that all students must take a technology course. Which skills are included in such a course is still open for discussion.

The federal role — President Bush has presented a framework for federal support of the states' education efforts to make sure that no child is left behind. This role is not intended to replace the states' role in education of its children but, rather, to insure all children receive a high quality education and to assist states in the process of improving state education programs.

As part of the accountability for federal dollars spent in states there has been a call for improving the academic performance of disadvantaged students. A requirement for receiving federal dollars will be annual state Reading and Math assessments in grades 4 through 8. Each state may select and design assessments of its choosing. This compliments the work that states have already done in developing new standards-based performance tests. In addition, a sample of students will be assessed annually with the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Where technology fits in the picture — The federal role supports the use of technology as a tool to improve academic achievement, reduce paperwork, increase flexibility, and train teachers. States will be encouraged to set performance goals to measure how federal technology funds are used to improve student achievement.

We know that technology will play a major role in helping schools access and use information to improve achievement. Good curriculums and good teaching will utilize technology to help teachers personalize learning, match student learning styles and levels of proficiency, engage students, pace instruction, develop profiles of mastery, and keep records of success with materials and lessons.

Technology will also provide a tool for benchmarking performance- based items for instructional purposes. The ability for technology to provide quick feedback and host a variety of application items lends itself for use in the assessment process.

All of this is a work in progress. As technology advances, the teaching/learning process as well as state and federal conversations are enhanced.

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