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Technology Plan for Submission to the State of Kansas

Board Approved District Policies Section

Legal Questions

Part of the new online Technology Plan Submission involves a list of eight yes or no statements regarding legal items that must be met in order to qualify for Federal ESEA programs, Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF) Grants, and E-Rate funds. You will see this list again and enter your responses when you go to the online Technology Plan Submission Form.

NOTE: You are not required to include copies of the following policies with your Technology Plan. These policies must be available to the public and to the TAKE office upon request.

1. Does your district have Appropriate Use Policies that addresses copyright issues, software agreements and policy, and governs the use of all technologies including Internet access by students, teachers, staff, administrators, and community that is reevaluated and updated yearly?

Yes

If your answer is no, what plans does your district have to address the lack of such a policy? Include a timeline for completion.

2. Does your district have policies that clearly articulate both gift acceptance of technology hardware and software, and the disposal process for unused, outdated, or inoperable technology hardware and software that is evaluated and updated yearly?

Yes

If your answer is no, what plans does your district have to address the lack of such a policy? Include a timeline for completion.

3. Does your district maintain a concise, complete technology inventory, including software and hardware, and where the items are located or can be accessed?

Yes

If your answer is no, what plans does your district have to address the lack of such an inventory? Include a timeline for completion.

4. Has your district installed, and do you maintain and regularly update, either a technology filtering software application, a technology filtering service, or a technology hardware device, which bars access to obscene, pornographic, and other inappropriate materials as mandated by the Children's Internet Protection Act, in order to qualify for federal e-rate funds and other federal grant programs?

Yes — N2H2

If not, what is your plan for remedy? Include a timeline for completion.

5. Does your district have a policy that clearly articulates a plan for the regular upgrading of technology hardware and software, and plans for electrical upgrades that relate to technology, that is evaluated and updated yearly?

Yes

If your answer is no, what plans does your district have to address the lack of such a policy? Include a timeline for completion.

6. Does your district have a policy that addresses the equitable distribution of available technologies, including hardware and software, and technology integration into the learning environment for all students?

Yes

If your answer is no, what plans does your district have to address the lack of such a policy? Include a timeline for completion.

7. Has your district representative responded to the annual spring survey from the TAKE (Technology Assistance for Kansas Educators) Team of the Kansas State Department of Education with correct information regarding inventories of technology equipment and software, technology access by students, staff, and community, and other technology questions?

No

If not, when do you plan to have this survey completed?

The survey was attempted, but the web site was closed and no further surveys were being allowed.

8. In addition to providing staff development for teachers, administrators, librarians, and paraprofessionals, what provisions have you made to provide staff development for other members of your schools' staff - such as: office personnel and other non-certified staff who may need technology skills to fulfill their duties?

In-service classes are available to both certified and classified personnel. Likewise, one-on-one training is available to office personnel and paraprofessionals when a need arises.

Technology Plan Rubric

Kansas State Department of Education

1a. Committee Membership / Stakeholder Representation

Identifies contributors to the plan. Consideration should be given to include representation from all constituencies: students, teachers,

administrators, parents, educational institutions, the community.

1.b. Technology Needs Assessments

This response identifies and explains the technology assessment process that is used to drive decisions made by the technology planning committee. Quality districtwide technology needs assessments are completed yearly and are aligned with districtwide school improvement criteria, plans, and progress reports.

For many years, Parsons USD 503 would survey the faculty as to the needs they had for their curriculum and classrooms. The majority of the listed needs were hardware needs — usually the latest and the greatest. USD 503 now assesses their needs in a much different way. Still with input from the faculty, the Technology Staff Development Coordinator meets individually with each teacher and personally assesses that teacher’s needs. After the curriculum needs are identified, software is chosen to meet those needs. Lastly, the hardware that is needed to run that software is chosen and then prioritized for purchase.

Parsons also conducts a district wide Technology Fair, exposing the faculty and staff to the different kinds of technology available in the district and new technologies that are out there. In-service training sign-ups were available for staff to arrange for future training with 203 teachers and support staff taking advantage of the opportunities during the 2001-2002 school year. The Technology Staff Development Coordinator is then responsible for either training the participants or arranging for an instructor to teach that particular class.

Students in Parsons participated in the TAGLIT survey, identifying some of their needs. Also, classes were added to the technology curriculum during the 2001-2002 school year as a direct result of the communication received from the students and the community and their desire to have Parsons High School students learn how to build and maintain web pages. Currently, students are responsible for creating and maintaining the vikingnet.net web site and are expanding their knowledge by creating web sites for various community organizations (Parsons Recreation Commission) and businesses (restaurants, clubs). For the 2002-2003 school year, an Auto CAD program is being added at the high school as well. This is a direct result of feedback obtained from the students, parents, and the community as well as Pittsburg State University’s Technical Education Department.

Parents make up the majority of each building’s site council and Parent Teacher Organizations. Each of these organizations gives their opinions of technology needs and financially help support the purchase of supplemental software and hardware for their individual buildings.

Input and feedback from the community is encouraged through the online feedback form found on the school district web site. Each year a technology planning meeting is set with the local school board, determining the next year’s technology budget and purchasing plans. At that time, the school board, representing the community that voted them into office, offer their ideas and suggestions that are then put into the plan. The local media is always present to report the discussion and outcome of the meeting.

Vision

School District Mission Statement

The school district mission statement is used to focus the vision for instructional technology. All school improvement initiatives across the district are tied to the overall mission of the school district.

2. Instructional Technology Vision Statement

The Vision for the use of Instructional Technology conceptualizes the outcome of implementing the instructional technology plan. How is your school district using and planning to use instructional technology to reach the goal of improving student learning as defined in your schools' individual school improvement plans?

In developing lifelong learners, technology usage within USD 503 will be transparent to the learning process while simplifying instruction and enhancing the core curriculum. This will be evident across all levels of the school district and within our community.

Alignment to the Vision

3a. District Technology Use Goals and Objectives

Goals are broad statements of the purpose of the plan. Clearly stated goals for broadbased learning outcomes are stated. Goals are linked to site improvement plans, district plans, and state plans. Objectives are the means/methods to reach the goals.

USD 503 students will fluently utilize all available technology tools and resources.

Objective 3: USD 503 students will, as a district exit outcome, be exposed to multiple technology resources.

Teaching staff will fluently utilize any and all appropriate technology resources delivering curriculum instruction to their students.

Objective 1: USD 503 staff members will take ownership for participating in various technology training opportunities which will assist them with the incorporation of technology into their core curriculum areas and in daily instruction of their students.

USD 503 Administrators will provide leadership, support and promote staff and student growth utilizing available and appropriate technology related resources.

Objective 2: Principals will model, promote and require technology usage within all facets of their buildings (school mgmt, curriculum, etc.).

Objective 3: Principals will target technology usage within their buildings as part of their overall building improvement process.

All USD 503 teaching staff will have access, knowledge, training and confidence to fluently deliver curriculum, utilizing technology in support of their learning goals.

USD 503 will ensure student/staff have an effective learning environment that supports district educational objectives.

Objective 1: Students and staff will have adequate access to technology resources that support their learning and educational objectives.

Objective 2: Technology will be maintained, upgraded and enhanced based on educational requirements, district technology budget parameters and the availability of new technology opportunities.

Objective 4: USD 503 will provide adequate levels of support personnel to ensure technology environment is always accessible, current and maintained.

3a-1. Technology Use Assessments

• Computer Lab Log Sheets and District 503 Technology Curriculum Scope and Sequence will be used to assess student levels of technology usage and skills.

• Baseline data has been collected with PT3, SCR-TEC Profiler, Kal-Tech, TAGLIT survey. These assessment pieces will be administered on annual basis and monitored by District Technology Committee to determine the effective use of technology.

• Baseline data of teacher utilization of technology will be established during 2002-2003 school year with classroom logs. Teachers will improve technology usage in the classroom each year 20% or more as evidenced by classroom usage logs. The District Technology Committee will monitor it.

• Baseline data of technology integration projects will be established during 2002-2003 school year with classroom logs. Teachers will implement two technology integration projects as evidenced by the classroom technology project checklist.

• MacSchool (Secondary Level) provides quantitative data of staff usage. Beginning 2002-2003, such data will be available at the Elementary Level.

• Baseline data has been collected with CAT (Community Assisted Technology), 2000-2002, to determine the community’s level of technology skills. This grant has been awarded through 2003 to continue towards this common goal.

3b. Curriculum Integration and Enhancement

This statement presents a description of technology as it is currently used for instruction, and then proposes ways for technology to integrate more completely into the learning environment.

USD 503 students will fluently utilize all available technology tools and resources.

Objective 3: USD 503 students will, as a district exit outcome, be exposed to multiple technology resources.

In 2000, the USD 503 faculty and staff completed the Profiler as a means of self assessment. We found that the results showed our staff either overrated or underrated themselves, lending us to move towards a performance assessment tool instead. Since that time, we have begun using the PT3 performance assessment developed by a team from Pittsburg State University and Pitsco Company of Pittsburg, Kansas. This online assessment test was developed to align with the National Technology Standards. In the 2001-2002 school year, our staff was paid a stipend for successful completion (20 of 24 standards met) of Phase I of the PT3 test, known in our district as UTMOST. For the 2002-2003 school year, teachers that were not assessed in Phase I will be, and teachers who previously completed Phase I will move on to Phase II. Once again, a stipend has been secured to pay those teachers for their technology performance.

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