Arizona Department of Education to Assess Students' Technology Skills: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

"The state of Arizona will become the first in the nation to formally assess its students' preparedness for a future in the 21st Century classroom and workplace using a new solution called TechLiteracy Assessment. Through a new partnership with Learning.com, the Arizona Department of Education will measure elementary and middle school students' proficiency with information and communication technology.

The No Child Left Behind Act states that by 2006, schools must ensure that every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade, regardless of the student's race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability. Arizona will use TechLiteracy Assessment to proactively ensure that its students are meeting both national and state technology standards and goals.

Through a contract that includes professional development and set-up fees, the state plans to administer assessment of at least 25,000 fifth- and eighth- grade students by June 30, 2006. Arizona will target districts and charter schools that receive federal education technology grants. The state plans to use the assessment data for federal reporting purposes, but most importantly, the data will assist the state in educational technology planning."

Arizona Department of Education to Assess Students' Technology Skills: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance