During the annual State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a detailed plan for educational development that included technology and partnerships at it’s core. While the address focused on bypassing Congress by utilizing the President’s powers of executive order, it did touch on the bipartisan understanding of what needs to be done in order to improve education on a national scale.
Even though Obama did not include new plans for education he did emphasize the need to “close the technology gap in our schools.”
“My country invested in me … and now I want America to invest in you,” Obama said. “Because in the faces of these students, these are future doctors and lawyers and engineers, scientists, business leaders. We don’t know what kinds of products, services, good work any of these students may do. But I’m betting on them. And all of us have to bet on them.”
“In a country where we expect free Wi-Fi with our coffee, we should definitely demand it in our schools,” –President Obama.
Excluding the donations of taxpayers, one of the biggest investors for Obama’s education plan were companies like Microsoft, who contributed products totaling nearly $1billion. Margo Day, the Vice President of U.S. Education for Microsoft stated in a blog post, “I can’t stress enough, education is the single most important investment we can make in our future, and technology is the tool for the greatest return. Technology has the power to enhance the work of our educators and create a more immersive and engaging learning experience for students.”
Jamie Asaka 
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