WOBURN – Superintendent Matthew Crowley is happy to share that Woburn Public Colleges’ Director of Expertise and Innovation Jennifer Judkins attended an Ed Tech Advocacy and Coverage Fly-in occasion in Washington D.C. for the third consecutive yr.
Judkins attended the Ed Tech Advocacy and Coverage Fly-in occasion, together with two different know-how administrators from Massachusetts and a consultant from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Training’s (DESE) Workplace of Ed Tech, on Tuesday, Might 2, in Washington D.C. The occasion is designed to facilitate dialogue on instructional know-how subjects between representatives of college districts, states, schooling service companies, members of Congress, their key congressional workers, and leaders of schooling skilled associations.
On the occasion, Judkins met with staffers from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s, Sen. Ed Markey’s, and Rep. Catherine Clark’s workplaces, together with Federal Communications Fee (FCC) chairs, to advocate on issues of scholar knowledge privateness, funding for cybersecurity response, and extra.
“It was an honor to take part within the Ed Tech Advocacy occasion to attach with instructional leaders from throughout the US who share lots of the identical priorities round scholar knowledge privateness, entry to know-how, and cybersecurity,” mentioned Judkins. “Conferences with legislative workers offered a novel alternative to share particular challenges and successes we face in Woburn to assist contextualize and hopefully affect coverage choices shifting ahead.”
Discussions on the occasion centered on present points reminiscent of e-Fee, a grant program that helps to fund roughly 60 % of Woburn’s IT Infrastructure enhancements yearly, together with the assist to incorporate cybersecurity to guard scholar knowledge.
Judkins helped facilitate discussions on supporting and defending college students’ personally identifiable data, in addition to enhancing the Ok-12 Cybersecurity Act, because it has been famous as a major concern for Ok-12 colleges given the nationwide rise in cyberattacks and vulnerability of scholars with regard to identification theft.
The homework hole was one other key matter, particularly advocating for making the Emergency Connectivity Fund everlasting. Woburn obtained over $440,000 in ECF funding over the previous two years to assist buy scholar gadgets and help with web service for low-income households.
“Jennifer’s dedication to know-how schooling and enhancing the lives of our college students is obvious by way of her dedication to coaching and advocacy,” mentioned Superintendent Crowley. “Her attendance on the Ed Tech Advocacy and Coverage Fly-in for the third yr in a row demonstrates that dedication. We’re very fortunate to have her right here in Woburn.”