On May 5th, 2011, with WLMA members and local students looking on, Governor Chris Gregoire signed SSB 5392 which affirms and strengthens the role of educational technology in basic education. WLMA played a central leadership role in the passage of this legislation. WLMA representatives helped develop amendments, provide testimony to both the Senate and House and provide support through emails, phone calls and other advocacy. WLMA President Steve Coker and WLMA Legislative Chair Roz Thompson worked closely with David Walddon, President-Elect of the Northwest Council for Computer Education, Dennis Small, OSPI Director of Educational Technology and Carolyn Logue, WLMA lobbyist to organize around SB 5392.
Teacher librarians were out in front of legislators and the Governor as advocates for technology literacy and fluency in all subjects and collaborative information skills and technology fluency necessary for digital citizenship. For both Senate and House committees, WLMA teacher librarians were the sole educators sharing their successes and making the case for information and educational technology as part of basic 21st century skills. With the role of the teacher librarian focused on ensuring that students are effective users and producers of information and ideas and with TLs playing an critical roles both as teachers and technology leaders, this bill makes what we do (or will be doing) essential to basic education in the State of Washington.
