This could create something like a Sputnik scare. If the U.S. is no longer competitive, and our grads can't find jobs, we're going to find how poorly competitive we're going to be in the future.

At this stage of the budgeting process, this increase is an extremely important step in restoring federal support for technology in education, as it provides increased funding flexibility for Congress to address critical priorities in the global competitiveness agenda and in support of schools' efforts to meet the rigorous requirements of No Child Left Behind.

We are deeply disappointed that the administration has chosen, once again, to eliminate federal funding for education technology. Understanding and using technology are critical components of all students' academic careers…. We do not see how eliminating federal education technology funding advances [the president's] global competitiveness agenda or helps our students.

Understanding and using technology are critical components of all students' academic careers and, most certainly, barometers of their future employment prospects. Given the president's emphasis in the State of the Union on the importance of developing math and science skills in America's students in order to keep America competitive globally, we do not see how eliminating federal education technology funding advances his global competitiveness agenda or helps our students.

But I imagine school administrators are going to be reluctant to continue with some projects they had put into place a year ago. It's going to be particularly challenging for those schools that need to rebuild after the recent hurricanes.

We teach them to read in kindergarten, which makes a difference.