The federal government is helping Michigan prepare future generations for the information age with new funds for technology education.
On March 6, President Clinton announced to a joint session of the Michigan state Legislature that the federal Department of Education will give Michigan public schools $8.6 billion this year as part of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund.
"The whole purpose of it is to include technology into learning," said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.). "We must make sure technology is integrated (into school curriculum)."
Michigan is one of 10 states to receive funding from the $200 million Technology Literacy Challenge Fund. Clinton has requested an increase in the fund to $425 million for the 1998 fiscal year.
Levin said the increased funding from the federal government is necessary because other countries are rapidly progressing in educating about technology.
"Other countries are way ahead of us, and we must catch up," Levin said.
Many state legislators praised the increased funding for Michigan's technology programs.
"Technology is no longer a frill," said Rep. James Agee (D-Muskegon). "It's as essential as pen and paper."
Some state Republicans also have shown enthusiasm for the plan, which is part of Clinton's goal to connect every school and library to the Internet by the year 2000.
"It's a wonderful thing that Michigan will qualify for these grants," said Rep. Jessie Dalman (R-Holland).
Several Michigan businesses, including Ameritech and members of the Michigan Business Leaders for Education Excellence, are participating in the technology challenge by offering resources to help to improve public schools. Levin said business and industry should be included in future plans.
But Dalman said that once these funds purchase the new technology, the teachers must assure that they use it effectively.
"It really is important that teachers get up to speed," Dalman said. "That has been a problem."
Dorothy Beardmore, a member of the state Board of Education, said the "primary problem is how to have current teachers use new technology."
One of the program's primary goals is to train teachers about the information superhighway.
In his address to the Michigan legislature, Clinton said proper installation of technology would break financial class barriers in education.
"If we can hook up every classroom and every library to the Internet by the year 2000, for the first time in the history of the country ever - ever - children in the poorest district, the richest districts and the middle class districts, all of them will have access to the same learning in the same way in the same time," Clinton said.
Levin said he cannot say whether poorer or richer areas in general should receive more technology funding, but that the funding should be given to districts that have not yet incorporated new technology into the curriculum.
"The challenge is to integrate technology where it is not yet integrated," Levin said.
In a display of bipartisan effort to fund technology education, Michigan Gov. John Engler showed support for the ideas Clinton presented in his speech earlier this month.
"In general, we agreed with everything in his speech about education," said Engler spokesperson John Truscott. "But it still remains to be seen what strings are attached to the funding."
Dalman said she is confident the state will allocate the money properly.
"The federal government carefully tracks where the money will go," Dalman said.
Levin, who provides a website to keep his constituents up-to-date, said many of his colleagues on Capitol Hill are also using the information superhighway.
"We're taking full advantage of the Internet," Levin said.