North East ISD Technology Plan 2011-2014

North East ISD Technology Plan 2011-2014

By Dilene Witt-NelsonEDLD 5362 ET 8040{

The times they are a-changing

We need to look at where weve been to get an idea of where were going and then make a plan to get there. Thats what the National, State, and District technology plans are all about.2Required Elements Checklist Successful technology plans align the overall education or library service improvement objectives with the following five criteria. To qualify as an approved technology plan for a Schools and Libraries Program discount, the plan must meet these criteria._____The plan establishes clear goals and a realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology to improve education or library services._____The plan has a professional development strategy to ensure that staff knows how to use these new technologies to improve education or library services._____The plan includes an assessment of the telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services that will be needed to improve education or library services._____The plan provides a sufficient budget to acquire and support the non-discounted elements of the plan: the hardware, software, professional development and other services that will be needed to implement the strategy._____The plan includes an evaluation process that enables the school or library to monitor progress toward the specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments and opportunities and they arise.Universal Service Administrative Company eRate checklist

This slide lists the required elements for eRate approval. We will address each of these elements individually in forthcoming slides. That said, the NEISD technology plan is 35 pages long. I am only addressing a few of the goals and objectives to show that the plan meets the required elements of eRate. 3_____The plan establishes clear goals and a realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology to improve education or library services.

GOAL 1: Improve academic achievement, including technology literacy, of all students through the integration of technology intocurriculum, instruction, and assessment.OBJECTIVE 1.1:100% of instructional staff will use effective strategies to improve academic achievement, including technology literacy, of all students.Budget Amount $911,034.00LRPT category: Teaching and LearningE-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02NCLB Correlates: 01, 04a, 04b, 07, 09, 11

Key strategies under this goal include integrating graphing calculators into Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II classes, integrating scientific calculators into all upper level science classes and increasing keyboarding skills from K-5.4_____The plan has a professional development strategy to ensure that staff knows how to use these new technologies to improve education or library services.GOAL 2: Increase the capacity of educators to integrate technology effectively into curriculum, instruction, and assessment through ongoing, sustained, high quality professional development.OBJECTIVE 2.1:100% of instructional staff will participate in ongoing, sustained and intensive, high quality professional development to further the effective use of technology.Budget Amount $545,707.00LRPT category: Educator Preparation and DevelopmentE-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02NCLB Correlates: 01, 04a, 04b, 06, 08, 12

Key strategies here include having the Instructional Technology Specialist provide ongoing, sustained, high quality professional development to further the effective use of technology in the classroom and library. Although this is a good goal to have, I am not sure our district IT specialists are able to effectively meet it because they are stretched across so many campuses. However, the district is also increasing opportunities for professional development through the use of Moodle and Breeze presentations to reduce the need for travel for employees.

5_____The plan includes an assessment of the telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services that will be needed to improve education or library services.Areas of need from the most recent Educational Technology Steering Committee feedback include:

Teaching and Learning: Educator Preparation and Development: Curriculum Integration Educator Standards Graphing and Science Calculators Professional Development Lesson Planning Learning Management Student Standards Proficiency Incentives

Administration and Support Services:Infrastructure for Technology: Administrator Standards Multimedia computers Funding Sources Printers Instructional Support PDAS Mobile Devices Projectors Student Computers Teacher Computers Wireless Carts Mobile Devices Student Response Systems

The NEISD district technology plan addresses needs from all four areas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. It also includes information taken from the Texas Campus Star Charts; however, it is also noted that only 19 of 72 campuses completed the campus STaR charts.6_____The plan provides a sufficient budget to acquire and support the non-discounted elements of the plan: the hardware, software, professional development and other services that will be needed to implement the strategy.Technology Expenditures $21,088,139.00Technology budgets reported in plan by category

Teaching and Learning Budget $6,751,997.00Educator Preparation and Development Budget $545,707.00Leadership, Administration and Support Budget $3,337,345.00Infrastructure for Technology Budget $10,453,090.00 Total: $21,088,139.002011 Bond election (Approved) included TECHNOLOGY $64M Technology Package (provides for the purchase of student/staff devices, peripherals, network infrastructure upgrades, and maintenance of current abilities through scheduled replacement of existing equipment) The $64,000,000 includes: Client Side Technology and Support $ 41,776,000 Network Technology Equipment and Support $ 18,224,000 Library & Media Resources $ 4,000,000

The technology budget in the report does not include the $64M from the 2011 bond election. 7_____The plan includes an evaluation process that enables the school or library to monitor progress toward the specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments and opportunities and they arise.OBJECTIVE 3.5:100% of instructional staff will benefit from instructional, technical, and administrative resources support of accountability processes to measure student achievement and the extent to which technology is being integrated into curricula and instruction.Budget Amount $827,490.00LRPT category: Leadership, Administration and SupportE-Rate Correlates: ER01, ER02NCLB Correlates: 04b, 07, 11

Key strategies for this objective include the Campus Technology committees use of Educator Technology Proficiency Goals as a tool toidentify areas for campus technology growth and for individual educators to use the Texas STaR chart to self-reflect and determine areas needing further professional development. My personal belief is that educators need to be informed of the purpose of the STaR chart rather than just being told this is something you need to do.8Areas that I feel need improvement:Technology support response timeExplanation of the purpose of Texas Teacher STaR chartImproved Professional Development in the areas of Keyboarding and ongoing training for technology integration

The current goal for tech support is 2 days; however, there is no follow up system so if a teacher puts in a help desk ticket on a computer in the lab, there is no way of knowing when it has been fixed. I think even an automated response that lets those who report issues know that the issue has been addressed is better than hearing nothing. I feel explaining the STaR chart better would improve participation and perhaps more realistically reflect the district needs. Our courseware and previous courses have shown that professional development should be ongoing in order to be successful.9Sources:

meade123. (2009, September 30). Education "the times are a changing". Retrieved from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuyrP_HhWEg&feature=related on May 13, 2012

North East ISD Technology Plan. (2011, August 25). Retrieved from North East Independent School District: http://www.neisd.net/techplan/2011-2014%20Technology%20Plan.pdf on May 13, 2012Universal Service Administrative Company Schools and Libraries (E-Rate). (n.d.). Retrieved from Universal Service Administrative Company: http://www.usac.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/samples/sample-technology-plan-approval-letter.pdf on May 13, 2012

Thank you to Meade123 from Australia for creating the video Education the times are a changing.10