U.S. Department of Education’s Karen Cator will deliver the keynote address at the Three Rivers Technology Conference at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Cranberry Township, Pa. Cator, the Director of Education Technology, will then visit Kiski Area School District to meet with Superintendent John Meighan and other educators and community leaders to discuss facility and technology needs and how the American Jobs Act could benefit the district.
The Three Rivers Technology Conference will convene more than 300 educators from Western Pennsylvania representing all levels of education from elementary through postsecondary schools as well as numerous education technology leaders. Cator will discuss the National Education Technology Plan and the power of digital for improving learning opportunities.
At Kiski school district, Cator will partake in a discussion with Superintendent Meighan and a dozen other leaders from the area to hear about the district’s challenges and discuss how the American Jobs Act would bring needed funds to the area for school modernization projects American Jobs Act as well as to ensure that students are receiving a world-class education enabling them to compete for the jobs of the future.
In Pennsylvania, the measure would provide $944 million for modernization projects, supporting an estimated 12,300 jobs.
“As a country, we desperately need this legislation,” Secretary Duncan said. “America stands at a crossroads: we can roll the dice and hope to educate America’s kids amid teacher layoffs and dilapidated school buildings, or we use this opportunity to give our students the world-class education they deserve—with a strong teacher corps working in modern facilities. We need it for our kids. We need it for our teachers. We need it to put people to work. And, we need it to ensure a bright future of our nation.”
The AJA would provide $1.15 billion to Pennsylvania—enough to prevent an estimated 14,400 teacher layoffs for one school year. Nationwide, the proposal includes $30 billion to preserve the jobs of nearly 400,000 teachers and educators. Another $30 billion will go for school repair and modernization, which will create nearly 400,000 jobs for electricians, plumbers, and others in the construction trades while modernizing 35,000 school buildings.