(a) Uses of funds
Subject to section 7116(f) of this title, each local educational agency, or consortium of such agencies, that receives an allocation under section 7115(a) ¹ of this title shall use a portion of such funds to improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement, academic growth, and digital literacy of all students, including by meeting the needs of such agency or consortium that are identified in the needs assessment conducted under section 7116(d) of this title (if applicable), which may include—

(1) providing educators, school leaders, and administrators with the professional learning tools, devices, content, and resources to—

(A) personalize learning to improve student academic achievement;

(B) discover, adapt, and share relevant high-quality educational resources;

(C) use technology effectively in the classroom, including by administering computer-based assessments and blended learning strategies; and

(D) implement and support school- and district-wide approaches for using technology to inform instruction, support teacher collaboration, and personalize learning;

(2) building technological capacity and infrastructure, which may include—

(A) procuring content and ensuring content quality; and

(B) purchasing devices, equipment, and software applications in order to address readiness shortfalls;

(3) developing or using effective or innovative strategies for the delivery of specialized or rigorous academic courses and curricula through the use of technology, including digital learning technologies and assistive technology;

(4) carrying out blended learning projects, which shall include—

(A) planning activities, which may include development of new instructional models (including blended learning technology software and platforms), the purchase of digital instructional resources, initial professional development activities, and one-time information technology purchases, except that such expenditures may not include expenditures related to significant construction or renovation of facilities; or

(B) ongoing professional development for teachers, principals, other school leaders, or other personnel involved in the project that is designed to support the implementation and academic success of the project;

(5) providing professional development in the use of technology (which may be provided through partnerships with outside organizations) to enable teachers and instructional leaders to increase student achievement in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science; and

(6) providing students in rural, remote, and underserved areas with the resources to take advantage of high-quality digital learning experiences, digital resources, and access to online courses taught by effective educators.

(b) Special rule
A local educational agency, or consortium of such agencies, shall not use more than 15 percent of funds for purchasing technology infrastructure as described in subsection (a)(2)(B), which shall include technology infrastructure purchased for the activities under subsection (a)(4)(A).