Section 1

OVERVIEW and MISSION STATEMENTS

Your goal in section one is to write a narrative describing the demographics and challenges

presented by the educational climate of your district or school.

The narrative should focus on the size of your organization (i.e. the number of students,

staff and facilites) and your location in California.

(Long descriptions on location are not necessary)

A good goal is to make the district narrative summary only one page -

it is mostly for the reader to assess why you have chosen certain solutions and practices.

Best Practice for E-rate.  It is ALWAYS a good idea to describe that the EETT tech plan is being used for E-rate purposes in your district narrative.

Best Practice Examples (these are meant to help you see what's possible - not meant for COPY/PASTE):

One district's narrative

••••••• School District Vision Statement

Our vision is to have teachers and students utilize computers and educational technology as a natural part of learning and teaching.  A basic belief in adopting this plan is that students will need to have the ability and skills to utilize current technology as they learn and contribute to the world in which they live.  Effectively incorporating educational technology in the learning programs and activities of ••••••••• Unified School District students enhances their opportunities to become well prepared for an increasingly complex and technological society.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide superior programs that foster ongoing excellence and success, to develop resourceful thinkers and learners, and to prepare students to be ethical and responsible citizens, focusing the educational environment on all aspects of student growth, including academic, physical, technological and creative development.  

Plan Duration

This plan, with appropriate updates when necessary, is expected to cover the 2008-09 through the 2013-2014 school years.  This plan is intended to meet all state and federal requirements for technology use plans and all current and future educational standards related to technology during its life cycle.

District Overview

••••••••••• Unified School District is a small rural school district located in the foothills of the Sierras.  The district contains two K-8 schools with approximately 400 students, a large home school program servicing 300 students, a small necessary high school with 25 students and three small necessary schools with a hand full of students in each.  Currently, most high school students attend school in neighboring school districts.  Plans are underway to build a comprehensive high school which is expected to open in 2009.  Increased development in the southern part of the school district is expected to require the building of an additional elementary school and possibly an additional high school, but this timeframe is uncertain.  Approximately 40% of our students qualify for Free/Reduced price lunches.  Because of our small size, communication, feedback mechanisms, and problem resolution mechanisms are often more informal and more frequent than in larger districts.

Another school narrative

Overview:

••••••• Public School is an urban charter school located in ••••••••, California.  ••••••• school serves the needs of students in grades K-8 in the •••••• Community, an under-served area of the City of •••••••••.  Our students are diverse in culture, language, ethnicity, and socio-economic background.  The demographics of the community suggest most students come from minority and disadvantaged families with many economic and social needs. Many of our parents participate in parent education classes (provided through the ••••••••••••) which guide them in educating and raising their child(ren).  Our demographics also include students with a wide range of talents and abilities, including those with special education needs and those who are English Language Learners. All students who enroll in •••••••• possess a strong desire to attend a school that emphasizes high achievement and promotes community involvement through service-learning projects that focus on improvement of the surrounding neighborhood. We currently have a 749 API for 2007.

•••••••• Elementary School’s goals and objectives are:

1) To create learning opportunities for students through an innovative curriculum, a strategic partnership with ••••••••••, and strong parent and community involvement
2) Graduate students who are self-motivated, industrious, critical thinkers.
3) Be a learning environment where students, faculty and parents embrace a standard of excellence in academic achievement, ethics, and citizenship.

In an effort to attain these high standards of excellence, ••••••• will strategically incorporate vast areas of technology into its school system. Technology will be highly influential in not only the achievement of our students, but also in developing the computer literacy of parents, curriculum development of teachers, and school management of administrators. The technology will also be incorporated into the administrative office to ensure smooth integration and communication throughout all supported schools.

 
Demographic Data:   


CBEDS 2007-2008
School Population:    Asian:    Black:    Filipino:    Hisp/Latino:    Am. Ind. /Alaskan:    Pacific Islander:    White:     Multi/no response:
347    2.3%    83.9%    0%    6.3%    0.6%    0%    2.6%    4.3%
       
Data Information for 2007-2008 School Year    Population:
Students eligible for national school lunch program:    66.3%
English Learners:    2.0%
Fluent-English-Proficient:    0%
Redesignated FEP:    0%
Pupil/Teacher ratio:      18:1
Class size average:    19
Non-certificated employees:    0


1. School Vision for Technology Use:

This school plan is envisioned to guide the school for the next four years, July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2012.

As a result, we anticipate that by June 30, 2012:
•    Students meet the ••••••• Standards for the appropriate grade level.
•    Every student will have increased access to a computer with online capability at school.
•    Students use technology tools to master California Content Standards in the core curriculum.
•    Teachers use technology to assist students in the mastery of California Content Standards in the core curriculum.
•    School-based computers, software, and networking function reliably with timely assistance from trained computer and network personnel as needed.
•    Students use online resources wisely and ethically.
•    Students are capable of selecting and utilizing task appropriate software and hardware;
•    Students are capable of accessing online instructional opportunities.
•    The School communicates with parents and students through a school website, the use of PowerSchool and Alertnow.
•    The School communicates with staff through a school intranet, email server and VOIP phone services.
•    Teachers are capable of interfacing with the student information system via the internet.



Expected student outcomes in 4 years as a result of technology use:

•    Increased student use of computers in classrooms, libraries, and computers labs will improve their mastery of California Content Standards as measured by CST, CAT/6 and other assessments
•    Students will be proficient in essential computer skills and applications
•    Students will increase their use of the Internet for research purposes
•    Students will increase their use of multimedia hardware and software for presentation/demonstration purposes
•    Students will understand the lawful/unlawful use of Internet resources, including copyright, fair use, peer-to-peer file sharing, avoiding plagiarism and Internet safety practices (Chavez; AB307)
•    To equip students with individualized and customized technology tools to elevate their levels of achievement
•    Research, implement, and enhance best practices of technology curriculum used in the academic setting



Expected staff outcomes in 4 years as a result of technology use:

•    Teachers will increase their use of technology resources to organize, teach, and assess student learning in California Content Standards;
•    Teachers will increase their use of the Internet to communicate with parents and students;
•    Teachers will electronically access each child’s school-based data and his/her progress in mastery of California Content Standards as provided by the school’s online student information system;
•    Teachers will utilize the School intranet to access information and to communicate more effectively;
•    All teachers will begin to meet Technology Proficiency Standards as set by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing;
•    All administrators will begin to meet Technology Proficiency Standards as set by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
•    All Staff will understand the lawful/unlawful use of Internet resources, including copyright, fair use, peer-to-peer file sharing, avoiding plagiarism and Internet safety practices (Chavez; AB307)


Expected technology outcomes; infrastructure, hardware, tech support and software:

•    Staff will utilize an online technology assistance intranet site to request services and self-help from IT support staff
•    The School will provide technical support adequate to provide reliable network connectivity and computer operation
•    The School will continue to move towards its goal of achieving/maintaining a student to computer ratio of 1:1
•    The School through, E-rate funding, will establish a PS7 owned network with enhanced performance and reliability
•    The School will have developed and adopted a hardware acquisition plan that includes:
o     A review of all technology purchases by school and site staff
o    A database to track all existing technology equipment and maintenance procedures, and to recommend replacement according to school guidelines
•    The School will continue to use PowerSchool in order to provide the ideal, web-based Student Information System (SIS) that provides administrators, teachers, parents, and students with immediate and easily accessible information to support each child in reaching his potential
•    The School will continue to use Edusoft to assess and track student performance on key benchmarks and core content standards
•    The School will subscribe to online services (CTAP Online) to support instructional technology staff development
•    The School will provide tech support to provide support for the infrastructure, hardware, software and maintenance.
•    Additional software applications supporting student learning in California Content Standards will be acquired.


Expected funding/budget outcomes in 4 years:

•    Technology curriculum, support, professional development, software, books, and Internet access are supported by the School’s unrestricted General Fund revenues, E-Rate, Title V, Title I, Instructional Materials Funds, Academic Performance Incentives, and competitive grants
•    The School and categorical funds support student information systems, Internet connectivity and network infrastructure