District Technology Plan

DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY PLAN2

DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY PLAN3

District Technology Plan for Santa Paula Public Schools

2013-2018

Michael Post

Liberty University

Dr. Beavers

EDUC 638

Running head: DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY PLAN1

District Technology Plan

Table of Contents

Introduction.3

Personnel and Committees.3

Vision and Mission.........4

Needs Assessment ...4

Current Inventory..5

Desired Outcomes and Future Plans.7

Technology Blended into the Curriculum..9

CIPA..11

The Bottom Line..11

Implementation: Plans including timeframe, staffing, standards...12

Summary .

The Santa Paula School district is developing a plan for technology in their six elementary schools, middle school and high school as well. Santa Paula, California, is a smaller agricultural town of 29,321 people ("Santa Paula Wiki," 2013). It is in a region known for avocados, lemons, and strawberries. The school district was previously an elementary district and a separate high school district. The unification of these two into one as started and will begin in the fall of 2013. There are approximately 3600 students in the elementary district (http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/california/district/santa-paula-elementary-school-district/), many of which are second language learners. The district has unified in an attempt to save money for the community.

Technology Committee

A technology plan needs a community to help guide and prepare for future of technology in education. The district technology team will include members of the administration, teachers, technology director and technicians, as well as some technology minded citizens of the community. Together they can consider technology for the educational requirements of the schools and community. The committee meets every month with an agenda prepared at least a week in advance so that facts, opinions, and careful consideration can be given towards each topic. The recommendation of the committee will be shared with the head and assistant superintendents. The sharing is considered valuable as it comes from the committee which has connected with the community as many are stakeholders with students currently in the school district. The committee meets at one school site each month and continues to visit each school in an alphabetical order. The staff member from that school will serve as mediator for that meeting. The technology team from the district office will also share tips and suggestion at each meeting to continue to enrich the technology aptitude of the members of the committee. As a group learns from its members, both formally and informally, the tips and ideas will have personal investment from the team.

Mission Statement and Vision

Santa Paula school district has a technology mission statement: Educators and community coming alongside learners with the purpose of becoming responsible users of technology in who will develop into excellent digital citizens of tomorrow. The mission statement includes the community as it requires all aspects of personas and environments to prepare for the development of its citizens.

The vision for Santa Paula school district is: An opportunity to share technology in an environment that models technology quality with an opportunity to be a developer in helping other raise their technology commitment. Setting up a quality program requires assistance, training, and preparation. This vision drives our school district as a leader in technology. Santa Paula strives to help others achieve their technology goals like it has received assistance in the process and development of goals and vision.

Needs Assessment

The schools in Santa Paula each have their own particular needs as well as needs for the district structure. The district and schools need a foundation that will help continue the development of its goals and vision. An assessment does that, it looks at the position the district is currently in and looks at the plan for the future with achieving these objectives in a wise, swift, and cost effective manner.

The assessment will include quality and effectiveness of computers and other technology. The accessibility of technology to students, staff, community, and administration will be an assessment concern. Technology evaluation will also cover telephony, media tools, and technology infrastructure. Servers, power, backups, and wiring are all considered in the district needs assessment. Appropriate services, security of technology and protection of the users and the district, are viable considerations for the inspection. The technology department will be directed and guided with the administration to consider the technology design, cost effectiveness and avoid system redundancy. It will also include a survey that will consult staff and community as to its opinion of needs and concerns for the district. It is important that technology be well developed with the equipment and plan to support growth and flexibility.

Inventory of Current Technology

Inventory of Santa Paula Schools includes desktop computers in every classroom. The student to computer ratio is five to one. One school has a technology lab while the other have computers placed in the classrooms. Wireless and cabled internet access is available throughout the district, but some building lack the Wi-Fi transparency due to age of structures. Each computer is properly licensed and secured for inventory control. All systems include presentation software, word processing programs, and e-mail service programs. The entire district also has access to Accelerated Reader for aiding and incentives in reading. Several schools also have Lexia, a program to aid students become more phonemically prepared. One school paid for and budgeted for Successmaker, a program which helps students independently develop their skills. Some schools are also using RazKids with an intehrated headset which allow the student to read aloud and be recorded by the computer for teacher assistance and assessment at the most convenient time. Students are rewarded with levels and badges for their successful completion of materials.

Sufficient power and electricity are available in every classroom with the use of surge protectors for the technology requirements. Telephones for communication and security exist in every classroom and office for communication with administration, district, and the community. An intercom system for further contact is also accessible.

All faculty have a district provided laptop and desktop for their classroom. Santa Paula received a grant that allowed whiteboards to be placed, supported, and serviced in the fourth through eighth grades. Whiteboard coaching stipends and training have been provided by the county of superintendents technology department. As of yet, the district doesnt have whiteboard responders for each classroom. Every classroom also has a digital document camera for classroom presentations.

All computers have speakers or headphones for multimedia usage. Computer desks are available; however, classroom layout is somewhat dependent on access to drop boxes for internet cabling. Each classroom has a printer, either laser or inkjet, that are shared through the computer network.

The middle schools have freestanding computers as well as three computer laboratories. These are used before, during, and after school. The district office has live meeting capability with cameras, audio, and screen.

Aging computer systems are always a concern but a plan to update computers on a cyclical plan is currently in place. The plan is limited somewhat due to financial constraints within educational budgets allocated by the state of California.

Currently, Santa Paula schools have a technology director, and four technicians to service the six elementary school and middle school. An online work order request is the method for technology service requests. Although competent in their skills, the manpower available for technology is lacking for the size and concerns of the district. One of the concerns with technology is that people need to work since they are planning on its success. Good technologists have a backup plan or lesson prepared.

Desired Outcomes and Future Plans

The benefits and outcomes of technology in this plan for Santa Paula Schools are many. As stated previously in the technology plan, the district will strive to be a leader in technology and train the future technologists of the community, California, and the world.

California is joining the common core initiative for standards, goals, and testing in the United States. The desired outcome here is to see an improvement of test scores and of learning that covers additional educational growth and learning. California is attempting to invest heavily in the support of the common core initiative ("Cal Coast News," 2013).

The further outcome would be to see the students, school, and community increase in their technological development and citizenship in the realm of technology. This district would like to consider the technology of today and tomorrow and continue to be a leader of technology in Ventura County. The Santa Paula Schools would like to continue to pilot and model programs for future development and growth of education and technology.

A more current concept would be the incorporation of cloud based technology. A plan to implement access to cloud based technology and many benefits and few concerns. A flat fee