My district has roughly $1.8 million dollars in technology expenditures allotted in their 2010-2013 Technology Plan. Our total student enrollment is 2794 and we are 76.48% economically disadvantaged students. Our campuses are 100% wireless and all classrooms have a direct connection to the internet. Our computer to student ratio is 1:3.
The Jasper ISD Technology Plan strives to keep Jasper schools on the cutting edge of technology while facing the financial constraints familiar to all persons in the field of education. Assessing the plan and thinking toward the future is always a work in progress.
The following needs are identified:
1) Faster network connections due to the larger amounts of graphics used in computer assisted instruction programs.
2) Newer and faster computers for students and teacher.
3) Increased number of network drops per classroom.
4) Increase in multimedia training for teachers.
5) Increase training for administrative staff.
6) Need standard for technology skill level for staff and teachers.
7) Increase technology usage in classroom instruction.
8) Campus personnel trained for minor computer trouble shooting.
9) Long range plan for funding technology.
10) Increase training for support personnel.
Our first goal is to continue to address the four strands of TEA Technology Applications: Foundation, Information Acquisition, Work in Solving Problems and Communication. There is a $392,400 budget to support the use of technology in teaching and to use technology to support the TEKS in the curriculum.
Our second goal is to focus on educator preparation and development. There is a $75,000 budget to support training and education for staff to integrate and use technology in the classroom. While this seems to be a large number, I believe that in the last three years with this district I have been to one technology workshop and the TCEA convention (booths only). I feel that our district needs to not only push more technology training but have to be able to put the technology in the teacher’s hands. We cannot be expected to provide the technology to push the district into the future.
Our third goal is to provide efficient administrative and technical support to JISD. There is a budget of $468,000 to utilizes TrackIt for service requests, maintain existing equipment and software, to provide additional funding for technology and to provide on-site software, instruction and technical support. I feel this is a large number considering we have very few technicians and no really training on site staff. I feel that with my knowledge I am depended upon to much to fix computer and operator errors.
Our final goal is to plan for infrastructure technology needs. The budget is $882,000 and includes increased educational opportunities, expanding the number of network connections on each campus, increased services to parent and the community and to maintain bandwidth and services to students and faculty. I feel that these are also large numbers. There is $27,000 set aside to increase the number of links on the JISD web page, to offer web page usage allowing family access to student information and to provide computer instruction to parent and the community. I don’t feel that we as a district need to be training parents on computer usage. I feel that our funds could be much better utilized within the district putting technology in the hands of the students.
Staff development in our district is placed at $25,000 per year for the next three years. Our telecommunications and internet access is placed at $155,000 for the next three years with E-rate funding 90% of the cost. E-rate is also funding 90% of the cost in equipment for the 2010 year with a cost of $350,000, but this is funded by the district for 2011-2012 at $100,000 each year. Materials and supplies are at $7000 per year and miscellaneous expenses are at $10,700 per year. Maintenance is at $225,000 each year.
The evaluation and revision of the JISD Technology Plan is a continuous process. The Technology Committee will be responsible for evaluating the Technology Plan. In order to evaluate the JISD Plan, the committee will follow these steps:
1) Determine the purpose of the evaluation
2) Prepare specific questions to address
3) Decide what data will help answer these questions
4) Collect the data
5) Analyze the information
6) Use the information for program improvement
The accountability methods and measures to evaluate effectiveness show technology integrated into curriculum and teachers using more technology with more students passing TAKS and more TEKS being met.
No comments:
Post a Comment