Stewart County Schools

Technology Improvement Plan

2005-2008

 

 Mission Statement

 

Stewart County Schools will provide its students, employees, and community with the technology related skills and equipment to insure that each has an opportunity to reach their potential. Technology resources will become more embedded within each facet of our ongoing planning, implementation and organizational processes. 

  

Overview

 

As the State of Tennessee requires each local school system to develop a consolidated plan, and having separate plans for individual programs seems to be counterproductive to this requirement, this plan is derived from information gathered from our school system’s five year plan, each school’s improvement plan (SIP), and data collected by each school’s Technology Advisory Team (TAT).

 

 

Technology Advisory Teams (TAT)

 

Each school will have a vigorous TAT.  The team will consist of the principal, at least 3 teachers, a support staff member, a parent, a student (if appropriate) and at least one business partner.  The principal may add additional members as necessary.

 

The duties of this team will be collect and review data on an ongoing basis and make recommendations to each school’s Principal and School Improvement Team (SIT) regarding:

1.      the evaluation of the SIP goals and how technology may support each.

2.      the acquisition, distribution, repair and disposal of all instructional technology equipment and related items (including telecommunication services).

3.      the types, amounts and delivery systems of staff development activities needed to support the goals of the SIP.

4.      the methods of introducing “best practice” into the areas that would support the goals of the SIP.  (Best practices is defined and supported by relevant research).

5.      the revision of student (Tennessee Instructional Technology Standards) and employee (Minimum Technology Standards for Teachers) performance indicators as determined by the SIP.  

 

 Evaluation and Accountability

This plan is accountable to the School Improvement Team (SIT) of each school. With the data collected by the TAT, the SIT will evaluate the data to determine if sufficient instructional technology support was provided to sustain the goals of the SIP Goals and Strategies

 

Goals and Strategies

  

  1. All certified personnel of Stewart County Schools shall meet the Minimum Technology Standards for Teachers.

a.              Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, three (3) hours of individualized, needs based, job specific staff development will be provided yearly for all certified personnel.

b.              Each Principal and Supervisor will provide evidence of how technology is being integrated into the core curriculum.

c.              Staff development activities that are not available in-house will be made available to personnel in high poverty schools with ED TECH funding.

d.              All certified personnel will be provided staff development opportunities that support their efforts to achieve their individual and SIP goals as it relates to Technology.

 

Cost: Current budget and $3000 yearly from ED TECH funding

Timeline: ongoing

Evaluation: TAT, SIT, individual teacher improvement plans, STaR chart and Principal Recommendations.

  

  1. All certified personnel will effectively utilize student instructional and assessment data to maximize student achievement and better share that information with students, parents and other constituency groups.

a.              A minimum of three (3) hours of staff development will be provided for each teacher to analyze assessment data and identify gaps in student learning.

b.              All certified personnel will use school electronic grade books mail and web pages to keep students, parents and other constituency groups informed.

 

Cost: $10,000 yearly

Timeline: ongoing

Evaluation: TAT and SIT

 

  1. All classrooms will be provided with a minimum of one “high capacity” computer workstation as defined by the Tennessee Technology Evaluation System.

a.              By September 1 of each year, the TAT will evaluate all classrooms to insure that each has a “high capacity” computer workstation

b.              TAT will evaluate the need for additional workstations and equipment on an as need basis.

 

Cost:  $60,000 yearly

Timeline: ongoing

Evaluation: TAT and SIT

 

  1. The Tennessee Instructional Technology Standards will be effectively integrated into each school’s core curriculum.

a.              All schools will have labs either mobile or fixed to provide teachers with the tools necessary to introduce these technology standards.

b.              All certified personnel will be made familiar with these standards through curriculum guides and staff development.

c.              Web-based and on-line learning will be utilized to enhance current offerings in core curriculum, Adult Education and staff development.

 

Cost:  $90,000

Timeline: August 2005

Evaluation: TAT and SIT

  

  1. Technology resources will be properly maintained, replaced and repaired in a timely fashion.

a.              Technical support response time will be less than 24 hours.

b.              The infrastructure for technology score will be maintained at 2 or above on the Tennessee StaR Chart.

c.              The replacement cycle for computers will be 5 years or less.

d.              A yearly usage assessment will be used to determine adequate bandwidth for each classroom.

e.              A school district web site will be maintained with links to all schools and programs.

f.                The building administrator and the TAT will approve all expenditures for technology.

 

Cost:  Current budget, E-Rate and ED TECH funding

Timeline: Ongoing

Evaluation: TAT and SIT

 

  1. Students that are identified as “at-risk” will be given the opportunity to remediate skills that are deficient.

a.              Credit recovery programs will be made available on-site and on-line for Adult Education,  middle and senior high students.

b.              Computer based programs will be made available to all math students to evaluate progress and remediate if necessary.

c.              Teachers will be provided equipment and software to facilitate better communication with parents and students.

d.              Schools will build and maintain web-sites to improve and speed communication with parents and community members.

 

Cost:  Current budget, E-Rate and ED TECH funding

Timeline: Ongoing

Evaluation: TAT and SIT

  

  7.  The Technology Advisory Team will evaluate yearly whether current telecommunication services are aligned with the School Improvement Plan.

            a. During the 2005-06 school year, voice mail service will be added to the schools telecommunication services to promote better communications with parents, students and community members without instructional interruptions.

 

 8.  The Technology Advisory Team will evaluate the information technology systems to insure that it supports the School Improvement Plan.

a.       The yearly e-tote survey will be evaluated by the Technology Advisory Team to determine the appropriateness of the Technology Information Systems as it relates to the School Improvement Plan.

b.      The current Student Information Management System will be replaced during the 2006-07 school year.

 

  1.  The Technology Advisory Team will provide current research and data to support allocation of resources.
    1. The School Improvement Plan will be evaluated yearly to determine if technology resources and telecommunication services are sufficient to support the School’s goals.
    2. All areas that are identified as deficient will be research and only solutions that are supported by data or quality research will be considered.
    3. Each School Improvement Team and Technology Advisory Team will utilize The Association of Educational Communications and Technology website as a resource to gather and evaluate current research.
    4. Each technology advisory Team will evaluate the School Improvement goals to ensure alignment with the Tennessee Instruction Technology Standards.

 

  1. All schools will have sufficient bandwidth, network capacity and speed to ensure that their infra-structure is reliable and interoperable.
    1. Ed-tech and e-rate funds will be utilized to help ensure interoperability and to maintain and enhance the current networks within each school that has been identified as at risk.

 

  1. The Technology Advisory Team will assess the hardware, software and other related services on a yearly basis.
    1. Each Technology advisory team will review the School Improvement Plan each spring to ensure that all goals are being supported sufficiently
    2. Each spring the tech advisory team will evaluate the E-Tote survey to determine if sufficient hardware, software and related services are being provided.

 

  1. At the beginning of each school year each Technology Advisory Team will review how each school’s Improvement Plan goals align with state technology standards and identify areas of need by the review of TCAP data.

 

  1.  By the end of the 2005 school year 60% of teachers will integrate technology into at least one area identified as needing improvement by the School Improvement Plan, as evaluated by the building principal.

a.       70% by 2006

b.      80% by 2007

 

  1.  Each school’s Technology Advisory Team will evaluate yearly each schools newsletters websites and PTO meeting agendas to ensure that parents and community members are aware of the opportunities that are available in technology.

 

CIPA Certification

All applicable schools, under the direction of The Stewart County Board of Education, have complied with the requirements of subpart 4 of Part D of Title II of the ESEA.