Kaamiya Burroughs, Shannon Morris & Dafaney White

Technology Plan Update

FRIT 8132: Administration of Technology Resources

Dr. C. Hodges

Fall 2012

Technology Plan Update

Part 1: Narrative

Introduction:

Telfair County School System is located approximately 85 miles south of Macon in the

small rural city of McRae, Georgia. The system serves approximately 1,755 students in grades

Pre-K through Twelfth Grade. Telfair County School System includes four schools: Telfair

County Pre-K, Telfair County Elementary School (K-5), Telfair County Middle School (6-8),

and Telfair County High School (9-12). The system currently has a student population that is

50% white, 44% black, 4% Hispanic, and 2% multi-racial. All Telfair County schools are

School-wide Title I schools. Due to the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students,

all students in the Telfair County School System receive free lunches.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strengths of the Telfair County School System Technology Plan are as follows:

The "Goals and Strategies" section of the plan is a strong point for the Telfair County School

System. The plan outlined is concise and to the point, the activities and goals stated reflect

indicators of engaged learning, and are driven by higher order thinking skills. Telfair County

Schools are also proficient in the "Evaluation Process" and "Professional Development." The

Evaluation Process is clearly identified in how the schools will collect data via NETS and other

digital tools. The Professional Development piece of Telfair County Schools’ is clear and

specific in showing how it supports all staff members within the school district. Technical

assistance is provided, and goals and activities support student learning. 

Weaknesses of the Telfair County School System Technology Plan are as follows:

The Telfair County School System’s plan is ineffective in the area of "Budget Resources" and in

the "Needs Assessment" section. The school system has no proposed budget plan of capital

expenses or other methods of funding for technology resources. The "Needs Assessment" section

of the plan is in a needs development state. The plan is vague and lacks detailed information

from equipment and technology resources, Maturity Model Benchmark Surveys, and

student/staff use or received and desired training. 

Proposed Changes/Section Changes:

Proposed changes to the Telfair County School System Technology Plan are as follows:

The Telfair County School System Technology Plan should include a “Budget Plan” that

showcases how funds will be allocated and spent on various resources as well as how funds will

be gained for various projects. The budget should be specific and detailed in outlining monetary

income and expenditures. The budget should be realistic and consistent with the goals outlined in

the Technology Plan. The Technology Plan should include a “Needs Assessment” section that is

exemplary by detailing how the district will assess current programs for emerging technology. 

Resulting Improvements:

The resulting improvements to be added to the plan such as a “Budget Resources” section

and a “Needs Assessment” section will greatly enhance the Telfair County School Technology

Plan. The improvements set forth in the proposed section changes will push the Telfair County

School System Technology Plan into the exemplary category and greatly enhance student

achievement as well as staff expertise. 

Part 2: Create/ Update the Technology Plan

Broad-Based Support Lenard F. Harrelson Jr., J.D., Superintendent, David Walker, Technology Director and Cindy Jones, Federal Programs Director

Needs Assessment: The school district is using the online application Survey Monkey to gather data from the faculty/staff, parents/community, and students on an annual basis. The surveys show what is presently being used by each population as well as what the surveyed populations feel needs to be offered in both software and hardware at the present and for the future. The data is tabulated by the program and then analyzed by the technology committee to determine the technology priorities for the district. The process for determining the distribution of the technology funds is as follows:

The gathered survey data is analyzed by the technology committee and then prioritized by the committee. Prioritizing the list is very important to making vital decisions and expenditures. If questions arise about what each building would like then the building representatives will take it back to their buildings for discussion. The building representatives will then return to the committee with the needed information. A decision will then be made.When new technology (software or hardware) is purchased for the district, the committee will determine where the older equipment will be placed. If the equipment needs to be disposed of it will be done according to the Board of Education’s policy.

Oakley School District Three-Year Technology PlanMission The mission of the Telfair County School System is to develop students

who can succeed in a 21st Century global economy, who believe in the worth and dignity of themselves and others, and who pursue lifelong learning in an ever-changing, richly diverse society. We will accomplish this mission by fostering school environments that are conducive to learning and by providing ample and appropriate resources and support for the relevant curricula. With an uncompromising commitment to excellence, our school system will be the preferred source of education for all eligible students.The Telfair County School System is an educational force for the county. Community and parent involvement is a key component to the success of the school system, as a whole and to each of its facets individually. The school system strives to produce an enlightened and productive citizenry. Advanced technology, state-of-the-art facilities, enthusiastic faculties, and abundant resources result in eager, successful students. Research statistics and objective evaluations are the foundation for system practices and policies. Innovative approaches to education, shared goals, and systematic improvements are in place in Telfair County Schools at the forefront of the educational field.

Vision The vision for technology in the Telfair County School System can be described as follows:

When students leave the Telfair County School System, we want them to be prepared for success. We want all students to have a quality educational experience that encompasses lifelong learning skills. Through high expectations and accountability, we believe that we can prepare students for the ever-changing future, which will require citizens to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and decision makers.

Technology will play an important role in the instruction in each area. Because teachers will integrate technology into daily teaching practices, students will learn that it is not a separate part of knowledge but that it is central to daily life and education. Students will develop skills that will enable them to be

independent users of technology, as well as to be able to access the multiplicity of resources available.

Expand high speed Internet access to allow students, teachers, and administrators access to the tools and resources they need for collaborative learning.

Develop assessment models for gauging student achievement and analyzing data to differentiate instruction.

Provide appropriate 21st century equipment and software for special needs, economically disadvantaged, and regular education students.

Fully integrate 21st century teaching standards into every classroom to fully connect the activities in the classroom to lifelong learning and success.

Evaluate student, teacher, and administrative use and understanding of technology as aligned with the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-S).

Expand our students’, teachers’ and administrators’ ubiquitous access to all educational resources available in our school system.

Evaluate all technology purchases to determine their effectiveness and use with the 21st century technology standards.

Expand the web portal to provide relevant and continuously updated system information for students, teachers, parents, and administrators.

Provide a web-based parent portal for access to student grades, attendance, standardized test results, special accommodations, and other pertinent information pertaining to student’s academic standing.

Provide additional classroom technology such as interactive whiteboards and other 21st century equipment.

Provide high quality web-based software to administrators and teachers that will allow efficient data collection.

Continue to modify as needed effective models to assess student achievement and interpret data to differentiate instruction for maximum achievement.

Provide a web-based grade book with parent access to student grades, student attendance, special accommodations, standardized test results, and other data available about each student’s academic standing

Telfair County School leaders envision that teachers, students, support staff, administrators, parents, and community members will have the necessary competencies for the technological age of the 21st century. Educational leaders envision state-of-the art facilities equipped with technology used in the business world. Through an integrated curriculum infused with modern technology for students and teachers, along with training and support, students will have multiple opportunities to use technology throughout the learning process. Teachers will achieve a

personal comfort level that will encourage them to use technology as a curriculum integration tool to enhance instruction and as a means of involving parents in their children’s learning. Parents will be able to access school resources, to communicate with teachers, and to provide feedback to the schools through technology. Administrators will continue to support integration initiatives that provide training and assistance to teachers.

Goals and Objectives Instructional Goals: Goal 1: Update and expanded 21st Century Learning

Environment and Technology access. Goal 2: Increase student academic achievement and technology

performance. Goal 3: Provide professional learning to support full integration

and understanding of technology.Administrative Goals:

Goal 4: Utilize technology to enhance administrative responsibilities.

Parent/Community Uses of Technology Goals: Goal 5: Provide expanded access to school information and

resources.System Readiness Goals:

Goal 6: Inform and involve all system personnel and stakeholders of the technology vision on appropriate use of technology.

Action Plan/Multi-year Planning

Our technology plan covers a three year implementation of technology and technology based issues. At the end of three years, it will be re-evaluated and re-written in order to stay abreast of current technologies.

Program Integration All students and faculty have access to the following resources through the District Portal:

1. netTrekker2. Safari Montage3. Discovery Education Streaming4. Anywhere Learning System5. Academy of Reading6. Academy of Math7. Classworks8. Follett Destiny Resource Management Solution9. Library Manager10. Media Manager11. Textbook Manager12. Asset Manager13. Renaissance Place14. Digital Textbook Resources15. Study Island16. SLDS17. USA TestPrep18. Online Learning Environment

19. Eduphoria20. Online Lesson Planner21. PD360 Professional Development22. LEARNING.COM23. Online Assessment System24. Galileo25. My Big Campus

Curriculum Integration The Telfair County School System Technology Plan is aligned to the GPS, CCGPS, and NETS-S standards as well as research and best practice models to produce students who learn through engaged, authentic experiences to exercise higher-order conceptualization by focusing on decision making, reflection, reasoning, and problem solving.

The use of netbooks, software, websites, Web 2.0, virtual classrooms, and NETS-S resources will promote students’ higher-order thinking skills.

Students will have ownership in their learning because they will take part in directing their learning through authentic problem-solving and inquiry-based activities.

Project-oriented teaching will involve cooperative learning as groups collaborate to research, conduct, and present projects that support the GPS, CCGPS, and NETS-S.

Innovative and authentic assessments will demonstrate the quality of learning.

Use of technology as an instructional tool will allow teachers to move away from textbooks and lecture methods in order to become facilitators in student learning.

The technology will accommodate individual learning differences and peer collaboration by utilizing websites such as the following: Discovery Education streaming videos and video clips, Study Island CRCT practice, GeorgiaMath.org, Learning Village, Online Assessment System (OAS), netTrekker's student safe search, Destiny Library Manager, Safari Montage, A+LS Anywhere Learning System, Academy of Reading/Math, Learning.com, and Thinkfinity. All of these teaching resources are aligned to the GPS, CCGPS, and NETS-S.

Evaluation Telfair County School collects valuable data from the following sources to be able to make informed planning decisions for technology.

Annual technology inventory that is submitted to the State Department of Education that includes:

o “Modern computer” definition which leads to the replacement of dated equipment.

o The ratio of students to computers to make sure we have adequate technology access in all schools.

Evaluate students annually to determine their technology literacy. Annual technology budget to identify:

o Training, support expenditures, and capital purchases.

o Both new and alternative funding sources. Yearly technology/software utilization report to measure school

use of technology. A needs assessment each year to determine the amount and

content of technology professional development. Annually evaluate teachers’ effective use of technology in the

classroom. An ongoing gap analysis of the balance of technology between

each school.Standards Students:

Have access to connected technologies to analyze, collaborate, process, and disseminate information in order to increase student achievement.

Have access to connected technologies for instructional purposes including enrichment and/or remediation.

Utilize telecommunications systems and real time web-based applications, in order to effectively communicate with administrators, teachers, parents, and fellow students.

High school students utilize global electronic mail, high school and middle school students use unique ID’s in order to effectively communicate with administrators, teachers, parents, and fellow students.

Reach age-appropriate technology literacy levels. Are enabled to meet the challenge of a changing society and

economy through the use of technology resources.Teachers:

Utilize technology resources to enhance classroom instruction and improve student achievement.

Endorse performance-based standards that define appropriate use of technologies of students at each grade level.

Have access to connected technologies to analyze, collaborate, and disseminate information in a real-time environment.

Utilize technology resources to actively engage students in their own learning process in a standards-based classroom.

Utilize global electronic mail, telecommunications systems, and real time web-based applications, through unique user ID’s in order to effectively communicate with students, parents, fellow teachers, and administrators.

Utilize technology resources to electronically archive, retrieve, analyze, collaborate, and produce reports.

Have accessibility via a secured network to essential organized data, which has been collected from a variety of sources, and organized and used in school improvement activities.

The available data includes methods for disaggregation into appropriate subgroups.

Are supported through appropriate professional learning

opportunities.Administrators:

Utilize technology resources to enhance the school’s instructional process and to improve student achievement.

Utilize technology resources to improve the overall effectiveness of school management.

Have access to connected technologies to analyze, collaborate, and disseminate information in a real-time environment.Utilize technology resources to support teachers and staff in classroom instruction.

Utilize global electronic mail, telecommunications systems, hand-held cellular devices (partially funded by E-Rate) and real time web-based applications, through unique user ID’s, in order to effectively communicate with students, specialists, parents, teachers, fellow administrators, and the community.

Utilize technology resources to electronically archive, retrieve, analyze, collaborate, and produce reports.

Have accessibility via a secured network to essential organized data, which has been collected from a variety of sources, and organized and used in school improvement activities.

The available data includes methods for disaggregation into appropriate subgroups.

Are supported through appropriate professional learning opportunities.

Houston County Schools’ Three-Year Technology PlanFunding Alternatives Funding for technology equipment, software, and training comes from a

variety of sources including E-rate, SPLOST, Title program funding, federal funds, state funds, and local funds. Funding decisions for future years will be made by an ongoing Technology Planning Committee and the Board of Education. Initiatives may be modified in future years based upon funding allocations.Clayton County Public Schools Three-year Technology Plan

Model Classroom Configurations

The instructional data shows that currently Telfair County School System has 1.17 students per computer. Based on the student to computer ratio future plans included lowering this ratio by adding computers or wireless computing devices for access to electronic content at school or at home.

Classrooms that meet the minimum requirements for a 21st Century classroom have the following components:

Interactive Whiteboard Mounted Projector Interactive Wireless Pad Student Response System Document Camera

We currently have 98% of our classrooms designated as 21st Century classrooms. Plans are in place to continue expanding the number of 21st Century classrooms until all Telfair County Schools classrooms meet the standard.

Maintenance/Support We propose that the school system use TroubleTrakker Pro, a web based solution for reporting, tracking, and management of technology issues.The purchasing of computer hardware will be completed on a three-year cycle in order to stay abreast of current technologies. Hardware will be replaced with current technology as necessary and as funds are available. Redistributing older computer hardware to classrooms needing less powerful equipment allows students who previously had limited access to technology to utilize these resources.

Software Agreements Software Copyright ProceduresIt is the intent of Telfair County School System to adhere to the provisions of copyright laws as they relate to information technology. It is also the intent of the district to comply with the license agreements and/or policy statements contained in the software packages used in the district. In circumstances where the interpretation of the copyright law is ambiguous, the district shall look to the applicable license agreement to determine appropriate use of the software.

Software Procedures1. The Director of Information Technology must contact software

publishers to obtain written permission and procedures for making multiple copies, other than a single archival back-up.

2. The Director of Information Technology must contact software publishers to obtain written permission and procedures for changing the format from one platform to another.

3. The Director of Information Technology must obtain written permission from the software publisher to download or network programs to other computers. No software will be loaded onto a network without a legal network copy of the software.

4. The schools may not load a stand-alone single copy of a software product to multiple computer systems without explicit permission from the publisher. As a general rule, even though one can physically do so, placing software on multiple machines with one legal copy of a software product is ILLEGAL.

5. School computers may not be used to duplicate copyrighted software, except for a single archival copy not to be used simultaneously with the original.

6. Duplication of copyrighted software materials is prohibited, except for a single archival copy not to be used simultaneously with the original. ONLY the legal copy may be used for educational purposes. The archival disk MUST be stored, to be used again ONLY to recopy the program if the legal copy becomes defective, except when permission is given to do

otherwise by the publisher.7. The principal of each school is responsible for establishing

practices which will enforce this policy on the local school level.8. A copyright policy should be posted in any room where a

computer is located.Users are not allowed to purchase, download or load software without written permission from the TSC or System Director.

Houston County Schools Three-year Technology PlanCopyright/Acceptable Use Policy Telfair County Schools Electronic Network and Internet Use Agreement

Gifts and Disposal Any organization or individual making a technology gift to the district shall require the approval of the Technology Director. All gifts will be regarded as district property. 

To discard unusable equipment, machines are reviewed by the school system technology specialists. The technology specialist then submits a request to the Superintendent asking that the equipment be disposed of or sold.

Staff Development Research, best practices, standards for technology and disaggregated data needs to be disseminated to all stakeholders to allow the best decisions related to professional learning for the school system to be made.

Technology focused professional learning that enhances and improves technology integration which results in increased student achievement

The types of hardware and software needed to maximize achievement

The Telfair County School System will provide high-quality professional learning with follow-up training, and continuous support to facilitate enhanced skills and utilization of the resources we have available. To accomplish the goals of professional learning all professional learning activities are standards-based aligned with systems level goals, scientifically-based, and job-related. The Heart of Georgia RESA ETC provides professional learning, consulting, and service for Georgia educators to promote the appropriate use of technology in support of teaching, learning, and leadership. The school system also provides system and school level training for appropriate technology related hardware, software, and 21st century standards integration. 

The Telfair County School System is in the process of expanding an in-house professional learning program to further meet the needs of our stakeholders related to technology. Our trainers will develop classes based off of needs assessments completed by our stakeholders. The classes will be offered on a regular basis and enhanced to meet specific needs as they arise. We will also provide on demand help through online

tutorials for immediate assistance. All of our courses will be available for registration through the professional learning portal that will allow participants to view courses offered, register for courses, and print course transcripts. The professional learning portal will also allow our stakeholders to request and develop courses. All of our courses offered will be aligned with local, state, and federal standards such as the Georgia Performance Standard, Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, and ISTE NETS to best integrate and utilize the technology available. 

All funding for technology equipment, resources, and training is provided by various local, state, and federal sources. All purchases and training are based on state GPS, CCGPS, ISTE NETS technology standards, scientifically based research practices, school and district technology committees, and district level directors so that all technology purchases and decisions will maximize student performance.

Resources:

Telfair County School System, (July, 2011). Three- Year Technology Plan. Retrieved November

10, 2012, from http://www.telfairschools.org/domain/32.

Oakley School District, (February, 2011). Three- Year Technology Plan. Retrieved November 23,

2012, from http://www.oakleyschoolsks.com/Faculty%20Forms/technology%20plan%202010-13.pdf.

Clayton county Public Schools, (July, 2009). Three- Year Technology Plan. Retrieved November 10,

2012, from http://www.clayton.k12.ga.us/departments/technology/new/techplan/TechPlan.pdf.

Houston County Schools, (July, 2011). Three- Year Technology Plan. Retrieved November

10, 2012, from http://www.hcbe.net/media/276859/hcboe%20tech%20plan%2011-14.pdf.