A new legislation proposal by Senator Tammy Baldwin is calling for a generous monetary fund for EdTech resources, and will be be reviewed by the United States Senate.

The legislation is called Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) Act.

“EETT legislation has come up for consideration several times since the Act was defunded in 2011,” according to Dian Schaffhauser of THEJournal. “The act is also being championed by Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Angus King (I-ME), Baldwin's fellow members on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Murray is the ranking member of that committee.”

The sum being called for is approximately $1 billion dollars beginning in 2016, that will benefit K-12 and beyond if necessary, according to the article. The aid would be effective for four more years, “to provide funding to state educational agencies that could be issued to districts and schools for the purpose of promoting the use of technology for student learning,” according to Schaffhauser.

“Across the globe, students today experience a world that is more connected than ever. Yet in the United Sates, many classrooms, especially those in rural and remote areas, lack the rich technology that can connect them with the outside world," said Baldwin in a statement, according to the article. “I'm proud to introduce the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act to level the playing field and give schools the resources, infrastructure, hardware, software and human capacity needed to prepare students for the 21st century global economy.”

Technological advancements have been becoming a staple in classrooms. From Chromebooks to eBooks, there are lessons being designed around technological tools everyday. The EETT Act looks to be taking that notion into serious consideration with their billion-dollar proposal.

“Providing all students with technology-rich learning environments in which they can collaborate, create and learn deeply is essential to creating citizens who can adapt and thrive in today's connected world," says Donna Smith, president of the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association, according to the article.

With added funding the EdTech resources would be more readily available in a wider range of schools, therefore, leveling the playing field for education across the U.S. in grades K-12.

Read the full story and comment below.

Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor