Goal 8:  To Evaluate the Implementation of the Goals of the Technology Plan

EVALUATION

Evaluating the Technology Plan will be conducted by various means.  Technology implementation is a continuous process that must adapt to the district’s changing circumstances, such as enrollment figures, funding and staff.  Effective evaluation will force the Technology Committee to rethink and adapt objectives, priorities and strategies as the implementation proceeds.  Continuous evaluation will facilitate making changes if aspects of the plan are not working.

1.  To integrate technology and the Technology Curriculum into all content areas.

At the elementary level, the grade technology benchmarks are part of our standards based report cards.            

High School and Middle School course overviews will include appropriate technology benchmarks to be integrated into the specific curriculum.

Computer/Technology standards/benchmarks will become part of the credentialing process for our students.  Students will be credentialed in this area along with the other areas.  This information then goes in the student’s Transition file.  This information is shared with parents, students and the receiving teacher for the next school year.

The impact of the integration should also improve student achievement in all areas.  This should be measured through:

·        Number of students credentialed in areas of Academics and Careers

·        MEAP assessment data

·        Curriculum assessments, including Technology assessments

·        Teacher observations

·        Post Graduate Surveys

·        Standards based report cards

·        Parent and staff surveys—technology use (all types of technology: i.e. graphing calculators, microscopes, CPS)

·        Curriculum Reviews

2.  To provide professional development opportunities for all staff members.

A district technology professional development needs assessment will be administered in 2004-2005.  This information will be used by the building principals to determine staff development activities provided.  Staff will indicate professional development NEEDS and wishes.

Staff surveys will help assist in measuring staff’s level of proficiency with technology.  These surveys will also help us to measure how often, how and when staff use technology in the classroom.  Use of technology in parent communications will help measure use of technology also.

The number of staff attending workshops/conferences with technology and technology integration will also be monitored.  All professional development must be part of the School Improvement Goals.

3.  To provide a technology coordination and maintenance program.

Actual use of technology will indicate success with this goal. Once the infrastructure is in place, educators will have better access to technology.  Maintaining our inventory database along with service calls, upgrades and new equipment will be good indicators of technology maintenance.  The technology maintenance work orders are on the district website on the Technology Page along with “Tech Tips”. This also provides us with a tracking of how long it takes to repair problems, as well as the number of repair issues.  Access that leads to increased use of technology for instruction requires more classroom workstations, technical support and professional development.  All of these will be part of the annual needs assessment.

Budgeting for replacement of Technology is vital to this plan.  This will be addressed specifically in the timeline and the budget of this plan.

4.  To integrate technology into the management of the district, school and classroom.

The use of technology will be the obvious measurement to evaluate this goal.  This goal should help make the school district operate more smoothly and productive. This component is also essential to the district Strategic Planning process. Number of staff attending professional development in these areas and the actual use will indicate success.  Staff survey and parent feedback will also be used.

Graphical Grading and the Standards Based Report Cards through CMT are part of this student management system.  The Schools in Touch will also help with the parent communication.  It is the recommendation of this committee that we all use one standard grading program.  CMT will also give us the capability of keeping track of student credentialing electronically. 

Food Service is using Meal Magic in all of the schools except Glennie Elementary.  This also allows parents to check their child’s balance via our website.

5.  To provide the community with the benefits of technology.

Our number of community partnerships will continue to rise.  The number of opportunities for the community to use district technology will provide a good measure for this goal.  Attendance in Community Education classes, at family nights, in Community Learning centers will provide us with an accurate measurement of this goal.  We also look for our annual “Golf for Technology” Outing to continue to grow. This is a great example of community partnerships helping the school’s technology.

Our website is continually being updated with parent resources ranging from curriculum issues, including technology, to parenting tips.  We also have the Technology Tip of the Week on our website.

A review of newspaper stories, parent newsletters, Observer articles, the district website, Board of Education meetings (which are televised) and informal feedback will all address this issue.

6.  To provide various resources needed to implement the Technology Plan.

This comprehensive plan requires many resources ranging from information, people, students, to dollars.  The bond project helped with this immensely.  It was a critical component of our former Tech Plan. The bond projects should be completed during the 2004-2005. The best measure for this goal will be the seamless comprehensive implementation of our plan within three years.

7.  To provide funding for the implementation of the Technology Plan.

Successful implementation of our time lines for upgrading, replacing, professional development, addressing curricular needs, district management technologies and adding new technologies will evaluate successful funding.  We will continue to look for any and all funding resources.  Technology has not been established as a line item in the district general budget.

8.  To evaluate the implementation of the goals of the Technology Plan.

The Technology Committee will review the plan annually and evaluate the implementation of the plan.  The Curriculum office will collect data, (staff, parent, student surveys, student assessments, report cards, professional development activities) as part of the district needs assessment.  All data will be shared with the Technology Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, District School Improvement/NCA Team, Board of Education and reported in the district Annual Report.