From the Hill to Home: Why EdTech Advocacy Isn’t Optional

I didn’t spend my vacation day last week on a beach.
I spent it on Capitol Hill, talking to policymakers, dodging D.C. downpours, and advocating for the future of K-12 education. It was a whirlwind 24 hours in DC and 36 hours of travel.

Because when it comes to education technology, how we fund it, protect it, and use it responsibly, I believe our voices belong in the room where it happens.

Last week, I had the honor of joining education leaders from across the country at EdTech Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., an event co-hosted by CoSN, SETDA, SIIA, and Foresight Law + Policy. We met with lawmakers and congressional staff to talk about what schools really need, and not just on paper, but in practice.

And let me tell you: the conversations were urgent, honest, and deeply human.

We came armed with data and policy briefs, sure—but also with stories. Stories of real classrooms and real kids. Stories that connect the dots between what happens in Washington and what happens on a Tuesday morning in a middle school hallway.

Here are just a few of the things I shared:

When Connectivity Wasn’t a Given

Before I was a district Technology Director, I was a teacher.
I still remember the frustration of trying to teach with one-to-one devices, only to have half of them connect to the internet on a good day. My lesson plans were built on hope and Wi-Fi roulette, with a plan B to partner up and share a device, a plan C to form groups around one connected device, and a plan D to scrap the tech altogether. When I stepped into my current role, fixing that was one of my first priorities. But the scale of the problem was bigger than my district budget could absorb.

Enter E-Rate.

With the help of federal E-Rate discounts, I was able to outfit every classroom and every common space in our entire district with brand-new access points in just one year.

Without those funds, it would have been completely impossible. But with them? We transformed the learning experience. For weeks, instead of hearing complaints when I walked into classrooms, I got hugs from our staff.

Keeping Great Teachers Starts with Supporting New Teachers

Our district used to be the kind of place where teachers came to work and stayed until they retired. But just before the pandemic, retirements began to surge. And COVID only accelerated the trend of teachers leaving.

We found ourselves onboarding record numbers of new staff, only to see many leave at the end of the year. Something had to change.

With Title II-A funds, we reimagined our entire approach to onboarding and mentoring. We offered intentional support for first- and second-year educators, whether new to the profession or just new to us. We paid stipends to our mentor teachers and built a two-year cycle of embedded guidance and connection.

The result?
Stronger retention. Better support. And a culture that said to new teachers, “You belong here—and we’ve got your back.”

Navigating the New Frontier: AI and Privacy

Now, as districts across the country begin to explore the role of AI in instruction and wrestle with evolving privacy regulations, I’ve found myself leaning heavily into my professional community.

CoSN has been an anchor.
Their thought leadership, policy resources, and peer network have given me the clarity and confidence to lead this work locally and know I’m not navigating it alone.

And partnering with the forward-thinking Indiana Department of Education has been equally instrumental in building momentum around AI in schools.

Our district was one of the recipients of a first-of-its-kind state grant for AI-powered platforms. While most districts chose to implement tools at the secondary level, we went a different route. We used the grant to bring Khanmigo, an AI-powered learning companion, to our grades 3–5 classrooms.

Our goals were specific:

• Address pandemic learning loss
• Improve literacy scores
• And embed digital citizenship intentionally, teaching young learners how to use AI as a tool—not a toy or a shortcut

While we ultimately chose not to continue with the platform, the experience was far from a loss. It gave us valuable insights into:

• AI integration in instructional design
• Data privacy concerns with AI-powered tools
• And the student mindset around emerging tech tools

Most importantly, we were able to contribute to Indiana’s statewide research on the impact of AI in education. And now, we’re actively applying for an additional AI grant, one we believe will be a better fit for all teachers and students across our district.

We’re not chasing shiny objects.
We’re building understanding, capacity, and a sustainable path forward.

Systems, Not Silos

The issues we brought to D.C. weren’t isolated.
We advocated for:

• Artificial Intelligence that supports, never replaces, great teaching
• Student Privacy that builds trust and transparency
• Cybersecurity that protects instruction and student safety
• E-Rate that evolves to meet the moment, not just providing access, but funding the tools that keep that access secure

These aren’t standalone problems.
They’re threads in the same fabric.
And they require a unified, strategic response instead of one-off initiatives.

The Power of Showing Up

This year’s Advocacy Day was more than a trip. It was a full-circle leadership moment.

I reconnected with passionate peers like Laura Ebersole, who’s doing amazing work in both instructional coaching and policy advocacy. I stood alongside fellow Hoosier Brad Hagg, now serving at the Indiana Department of Education. I joined forces with fellow CoSN Board Members and staff, proud to represent our profession nationally and visibly.

Even our solution partners showed up, including event sponsors ClassLink, CDW-G, and EdWeb.net, and so many others through SIIA, proving that this work is better when we do it together.

Because advocacy isn’t just policy. It’s personal.
And it’s always better when it’s shared.

Bringing It Home

I left D.C. more energized than exhausted. Not because everything was solved—but because I was reminded that we’re not alone.

We have the tools.
We have the stories.
We have each other.

Now it’s time to bring that momentum home.

If you’re a school or district leader, I challenge you to:

• Reexamine your approach to connectivity, cybersecurity, AI, and privacy, not as boxes to check, but as parts of a shared ecosystem.
• Tell your story. Whether it’s to a board member, a legislator, or your community, your voice matters.
• And when the opportunity comes, show up. Step into that room, carry your story, and represent the educators and students counting on you.

Because the future of education isn’t just about innovation; it’s about advocacy.
And that’s something we should all lead out loud.

Want to talk more about advocacy, strategy, or how your district can align these efforts?
Reach out. I’d love to learn from your story too.

m was bigger than any district budget could absorb.