Many industries in the United States already have seen positive results and increased productivity from the effective use of technology. With the challenges currently facing the nation's education system--including a persistent dropout rate of nearly 30 percent, slashed state and district budgets, and the economically and socially important goals of ensuring that more students graduate prepared for college and a career--the nation cannot afford to miss the opportunity that technology and digital learning offer. Education already utilizes technology in many new ways: approximately 1.5 million students took online courses in 2010 according to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning; an increasing number of teachers currently participate in technology-driven professional development through portals or online courses; and there is movement toward the use of digital content and online assessments. Even so, America has only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible with technology and digital learning in the realm of education. While education is administered at the local and state levels, the federal government's involvement can either encourage or discourage the implementation of positive educational practices. By highlighting successful practices in several states, districts, and schools that are already using technology and digital learning to improve student achievement, this brief seeks to identify appropriate policies for federal policymakers to consider. The local and state examples cited here should be considered during the development of federal policies that encourage the effective application of technology and digital learning. (Contains 6 endnotes.) [This paper was written with support from Mary Ann Wolf.]