District Technology Plan - Board Policy
Note: See also: Extension of District Technology Plan - Goals approved August 26, 1998
The Governing Board recognizes that technology can greatly enhance the instructional program as well as the efficiency of district and school site administration. The Board also realizes that careful planning is essential to ensure the successful, equitable, and cost-effective implementation of technology-based materials, equipment, systems, and networks.
The superintendent or designee shall develop a plan to address the short- and long-term technology needs of the district and provide for compatibility of resources among school sites, administration center, and other district operations. As a basis for this plan, he/she shall examine and compare the costs and benefits of various resources and shall identify the blend of technologies and level of service necessary to support the instructional program.
The superintendent or designee may appoint a technology committee to assist with the above investigations and determinations.
(cf. 6162.7 - Use of Technology in Instruction)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
10550-10555 Telecommunications standards
11320-11320.6 Distance learning projects
51006 Computer education and resources
51007 Programs to strengthen technological skills
51865 California distance learning policy
51870-51884 Educational Technology Act of 1992
60011 Instructional materials definition
60017.1 Technology-based materials
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
6801-7005 Technology for Education Act of 1994
WILLIAM S. HART UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Santa Clarita, California
Policy Adopted: 09/13/95
District Technology Plan - Administrative Regulation
When developing the district's technology plan, the superintendent or designee shall consider:
1. The district's existing equipment and its capability for working with new technologies. 2. Existing facilities and the extent of retrofitting required for various electronic formats.
3. When appropriate, the hiring of a communications network expert to determine facility requirements and design a communications system that meets the specific needs of the school environment, addressing network security. The system should be able to interface with various types of communications networks and handle anticipated advances in technology to the extent possible.
4. When appropriate, the district's options for connecting to information networks; staff training to evaluate the various network service providers; and a process that allows all carriers to compete for service.
5. Ways in which electronic formats can be used to enhance the curriculum, motivate and improve student research, generate advanced thinking skills, and promote learning, including English language acquisition.
6. The equipping of school library media centers to improve the instructional program and promote cost-effective sharing of informational resources.
(cf. 6163.1 - Libraries)
7. The integration of technological resources into school and district administration to facilitate routine operations, staff meetings/collaboration, and communication with parents/guardians and community agencies. 8. The use of technology to serve professional development needs, helping staff to improve their practices, and enabling them to exchange ideas with peers.
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
9. The feasibility of providing system access to students and staff who have their own computers at home. 10. Staff development for teachers and/or library media teachers in how to use the new technology and make it an integral part of the instructional process in all parts of the curriculum.
11. Staff development needs of staff who will provide ongoing technical support.
12. Potential sources of ongoing funding and assistance, including support from parents/guardians and the business community.
13. A process for evaluating and updating the district's technology plan and its implementation.
(cf. 6161.1 - Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials)
WILLIAM S. HART UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Santa Clarita, California
Date Issued: 09/13/95 Extension of District Technology Plan
Based on Board and staff review, the following five goals were approved by the Governing Board August 26, 1998 which extend the District's Technology Plan to the year 2003.
Goal 1
By the year 1998, and thereafter, the District and each site will maintain an updated technology plan that contains measurable objectives leading to the attainment of District success indicators. District staff has been working with schools to include these plans within their existing school plans to serve as a guide to formulate fiscal and educational decisions related to technology. Accountability for the integration of technology into student learning will rest with staff and be part of the evaluation process documentation. Educators at all levels must model the very traits they hope to foster in students: research and collaboration in a context that is personally and professionally valuable.
Goal 2
By the year 1999, 60% of all courses will contain components that require students to produce a demonstrable technology assessed outcome. The percentage of such courses will reach 100% no later than 2002. Student knowledge of computer technology will include:
understanding and practicing the appropriate use of technology, including recognizing some advantages and disadvantages of using computers to do work,
selecting and using appropriate tools to access, gather, interpret, analyze, and synthesize information from electronic sources,
using computers, telecommunications, and related technology tools to access, use and communicate information, and
selecting and applying appropriate technology to produce original and innovative projects and/or to communicate new ideas.
Goal 3
By the year 2000, 60% of teachers will be skilled in using technology to integrate its use into instruction and to use technology to facilitate aspects of teaching such as grade tracking and attendance. The percentage of such teachers will reach 100% not later than 2003. There is a strong requirement in this goal for a professional development program to support faculty and staff at their current level of familiarity and readiness with technology and to provide continued education as their skills increase. This will be accomplished by offering a structured program of mentoring, peer coaching, personal tutoring, workshops, and courses. Because every educator deserves to be met at his/her own personal level of expertise, the goal deliberately does not specify a certain number of workshops or activities. The work already initiated with administrators for their personal competency forms a strong beginning in reaching this goal.
Professional development opportunities for faculty and staff will include the following skills:
basics of computer technology, theory, and practice
hardware operation and troubleshooting,
software use, availability, and installation,
video, audio, CD-ROM, and laser disk integration,
computer lab practices and group activities,
instructional strategies for classrooms with a small number of computer, and
Internet and e-mail use and etiquette.
Goal 4
By the year 2003, 100% of all students will successfully access and use technology in the 'production of a minimum of ten course assignments per class per year. Access to technology is a critical element of the plan. In deploying technology, care must be given to ensure that a minimum level of technology is available at all school sites. Standards for "success" must be identified. Quality course assignments must have rubrics that describe levels of accomplishment. Teachers and students must have the information and technologic skills to accomplish the goals.
In maintaining access, the District must study emerging technologies that could enhance students' access to resources. Areas such as telecommuting, distance learning, and video technologies must be investigated as to future applicability.
Goal 5
By June 1999, the District will identify its current financial support for the expansion and ongoing expenses of technology and increase that by a minimum of 10% every succeeding year. This objective was originally proposed for June 1998. However, 1997/98 was a year of extraordinary expenditures based on one-time funds. There has not been time to sort these out to find the most appropriate numbers on which to base adequate, on-going financial support. The current year's budget includes $200,000 for technology expansion; $125,000 for the on-going operation of the student information system; $40,000 for district-wide repairs; $14,000 for Internet and filtering services, and five full-time technical support employees. Because our experience has been limited, on-going maintenance costs for network equipment (particularly Cisco equipment) and telephone line charges have not been included.
Funds from school formula accounts or categorical funds should, perhaps, not be included in the amount determined as the base line. Certainly, not all funds must come from district sources. Grant writing opportunities must be explored along with strong business and industry partnerships. In-kind donations should be included.
The assessment of the District's base-line financial commitment to technology-supported learning should be in the form of a budget item analysis that is presented to the Governing Board prior to budget development. Beyond the 1998/99 school year, the analysis should be made annually, and the commitment represented by a line item within the budget.
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