Katy ISD- Ashley Peabody, WEEK 8

Develop strategies for funding, management plans, and  describe procedures for proposed strategies.

GOAL 1: Engage students by integrating technology into all aspects of the curriculum and learning

environments (classrooms, libraries, homes and communities).

"Effective teachers model and apply the NETS·S as they design, implement, and assess learning experiences to

engage students and improve learning; enrich professional practice; and provide positive models for students,

colleagues, and the community. All teachers should meet the following standards and performance

indicators" (ISTE, 2011),

• Funding:
• Balance the budget set aside for technology in order to provide students and teachers with the necessary tools to succeed in the classroom
• Grant teams research and write grants relating to training teachers on how to effectively implement different types of technology into the classroom.
• Pair schools with their sister school to trade different technology ideas.
• Research different types of paid and free training.
• Research different tools to implement technology in students home and in the community.
• Purchase different technology to implement technology into the home, libraries, homes, and community. This would include computers, computer programs, smart boards, and other various tools.
• Management Plan:
• Implement a variety of different software and technology tools such as: audio software, videosoftware, graphic software, and web design. Provide teachers with the necessary training on how to use each program.
•  Provide educators with the knowledge, skills, and classroom strategies to integrate and
  emerge technology into teaching.
• Require teachers to attend 12 hours of technology training every school year. 
• Administrators oversee the implication of technology into the classroom on their campus.
• Research different ways to utilize technology at every students home. If students do not have access to computers, provide students with other options.
•  Procedures for Proposed Strategies:

1. 2011-2012 school year Katy ISD will administer the surveys, STaR chart, and other assessments will be given to administrators and staff to assess how comfortable and familiar they are with the implementing technology. They will also look at the professional development available. They will look at all these factors to determine the needs of the staff and how effective the different types training were and what trainings should they provide for the next school year.
2. Determine  the needs of students and teachers in order to integrate technology into all aspects of learning and their environments. The district will send home a questionnaire with students to see what type of technology is available. Based off the information the district and individual schools can determine how to efficiently integrate technology and what additional services needed to be provided to students who do not have access to technology at home.
3. First it is important to research and utilize the different programs the. district has already purchased. Then the district needs to train teachers and implement the different technology tools into the classroom such as: audio software, video software, graphic software, and web design. It is crucial that teachers understand how to implement the tools effectively. Teachers can use the programs to teach students and/or to use as an assessment. Is it improtant that teachers get creative to promote students creativity with technology (ISTE, 2011).
4.  Every school in Katy ISD has a sister school. Sister schools will meet with each other twice a year to share different ideas and programs they are utilizing in the year. Teachers can set up appointments to observe teachers from their sister school to see how teachers at the other school are utilizing and integrating technology. This is a great way to share ideas and to see how teachers at different schools are using their resources.

      GOAL 2: Provide a technology specialist on every campus to help teachers and students with

different technology needs.

Funding:

• Utilize grants to help fund the hiring of a technology specialist on every campus.
• Manage the budget and set aside additional funds to hire

Management Plan:

• Interview qualified candidates.
• Hire a technology specialist for every campus.
• The technology specialist will document all training given to teachers and when helping students. 
• The specialist will monitor the usage of technology being used in the classroom by looking at teachers lesson plans and observing teachers teach.  

Procedures for Proposed Strategies:

1.  Every campus for Katy ISD will be giving funding to hire a technology specialist. The funding will come from the technology budget and from grants received. 
2.  Katy ISD administrators will interview qualified candidates to serve as a technology specialist for their background. The potential employee must have a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology and have at least three years of teaching experience.
3. The technology specialist will train and assist teachers on their campus with different technology needs. The technology specialist will provide a survey for teachers and administrators to complete. Based off the survey will decide what areas their campus needs are.

         

GOAL 3: Provide funding for a high-performance infrastructure.

• Funding:
• Determine the total allotment given for the Technology Budget in order to purchasing technology and maintaining a high-performance infrastructure.
• Utilize partnerships with different companies to receive additional funding for technology.
• Apply for grants.
• Utilize e-rate.
• Management Plan:
•  Utilize grant writing teams at the district level to secure additional funding to implement and maintain technology.
• Assemble an efficient grant writing team.
• Research and apply for different grants on the campus and district level.

• Procedures for Proposed Strategies: 

1.   Additional funding can be secured by applying for grants. The grant writing team will follow the standards set by TEA to determine what grants Katy ISD is eligible for based on the information given (TEA, 2012). 
2.  Every three years Katy ISD develops a long-term technology plan to develop a plan for their needs. In the plan the state the total amount of money they are given for technology. The planning team is responsible for dividing the money efficiently to effectively improve the technology and training of teachers. 
3.  E-Rate is a program where public schools and charter schools can apply to receive additional discounts. In order to be qualified for E-Rate it is based off of the school district's technology long-range plan (TPSEC, 2011). Katy ISD did meet all of the requirements to use E-Rate. It is important the district fully utilizes E-Rate.

References:

 TEA (2012). TEA grant opportunity calendar. Retrieved  March 19, 2012, from http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147487920&menu_id=951

ISTE. (2011). The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T). Retrieved March 5, 2012, from: http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS-T_Standards.sflb.ashx

TPESC. (2011) E-rate. Retrieved March 19, 2012, from: http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/default.html