Long-Range Technology Plan

2004-2007 

212901

ESC Region 7

101 School Street, PO 70

Arp, TX  75750

Phone:  903-859-2408

Web site:  http://www.arp.sprnet.org

Superintendent

Toney Lowery

Toney@arp.sprnet.org

District Technology Contact

Joy Rousseau

joy@arp.sprnet.org

PHONE: 903-859-2408

Fax: 903-859-2621

Special thanks go to these people for their active participation
and contributions in the completion of this Technology Plan:

 Joy Rousseau – Technology Director

Sandra Chesshir – Librarian, School

Dr. Ron Sterling – Principal, High School

Dwight Thomas – Principal, Junior High School

Shannon Arrington – Principal, Elementary School

Wendy Popescu – Teacher, High School Math – Department Chair

Debbie Frazier – Teacher, High School Science – Department Chair

Melissa Freeman – Teacher, High School LA – Virtual School Teacher

Carla McCauley – Teacher, Elementary School TA TEKS

Brandon Henderson – High School Student

Donnie Jones – High School Student

Laura Dacus – Parent, Elementary, Junior High & High School Students

  Debi Crawford – Community Member

Michael Tivet– Community Member

Acknowledgements

 The Arp District Technology Committee wishes to thank not only the members of the District Technology Committee who have engaged in brain-storming and research, but also Arp’s business partners who have assisted the Arp schools in technology planning, integration, and evaluation.  We are especially grateful to Corbey Corporation Executive Director, Christa Napier, SUPERNet Executive Secretary, Debi Crawford, NETNet Director, Kevin Roper, Tangent Partnership Representative Kevin Bradley, Internet Broadcast Corporation, and Texas State Technical College Representative, Michael Tivet for assisting the technology committee in meeting the needs of all Arp stake-holders through grants, partnerships, technical assistance, and expert resources.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Purpose

Background

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Demographics

General Introduction

Inventory

Assessment Process

Current Situation

Other Services

Goals, Objectives,

Timeline

Teaching and Learning

Educator Preparation and Development

Community Involvement

Administration and Support Services

Infrastructure for Technology 

Budget

Evaluation

Appendices

A   District Wide Area Network Design.

B    Acceptable Use Policy for Students

C   Acceptable Use Policy for Staff Members

D   Specifications for Publishing Web Pages on District Web Server

E    Computer Obsolescence Policy

Arp Schools have, in the past 8 years, invested time, energy, resources, and manpower to develop a community-wide vision for technology integration, professional development, technical support, and open access for all stake holders.  The District Technology Planning Committee includes: administrators, students, parents, board members, community members, and partners from the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Discovery Science Center, Tyler Junior College, Texas State Technical College, Classic Communications Cable Company of Arp,  NETNet (Northeast Texas Network of Colleges, Medical Facilities, and Libraries) and  SUPERNet (Schools United to Provide Enhanced Resources) Consortium of 17 school districts.  Arp is one of the three founding members of SUPERNet and has been involved in planning and grant writing for over 8 years. The consortium provides all stake holders with tier one access to the Internet, ITV,  Web servers, remote access and modem pools, ERATE adjusted T-1 lines and infrastructure.  The consortium also provides professional development through SEDL, TIE, TIF, INTEL(c) and TARGET grants to all area teachers.  The vision of ISD has been shaped by the pervading core values that all students can learn, all students deserve enriched curriculum, and all students need real-world skills to succeed. The vision of the Arp Schools Technology Committee is to provide all students with the necessary learning environment, nurturing, and vision to become productive, highly-skilled, successful citizens. Currently, Arp Independent School District (ISD) encompasses three campuses in two physical locations (Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade and sixth through twelfth grade), employs 78 teachers, 6 administrators, and services approximately 9600 students in the rural East Texas. A new high school is being built and will be released to the district in June 2004. 

Previously, the lack of available educational resources, communication technologies, and research facilities led Arp ISD to implement a district-wide information network and staff development agenda to revamp the delivery of instruction. Arp has been the recipient of numerous TIF, TIE, TARGET, Challenge, INTEL(c), and TEA grants.  (See http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/District/GRANTS/grant.htm )  All classrooms and common areas in the district are wired with 5 or more drops and each campus has full interconnectivity supported by a fiber backbone.  The physical network is completed with proxy, firewall and spam filters, email, productivity, Web, application, remote access, Library, CD-Rom towers, and Business and Student PEIMS servers. Each campus has multiple computer labs for training and research projects.   Each campus library has 10 to 15 drops.  The district has been granted a “head-in” to broadcast over Classic Cable channel 7.  This channel is utilized by students to create educational TV and video productions.

The district’s needs assessments generated plans for:  (1) Upgrading current implementation and  deployment of new technologies to assist students in gaining knowledge and skills and to further document student achievement, (2) fully equipping special needs students with portable technologies to assist in skills development and to level the playing field, especially for dyslexic and dysgraphic students, (3) deployment of faster (Gigabit) network components to assist in 24-7 streaming video productions (4) full implementation of multiple wireless networks (802.11g and microwave radio linkage) for full community access, (5) replacement of one inner-school T-1 connection with fiber,  (6) evaluation and expansion of Virtual School components on ClassServer and ITV to serve all students 24-7, (7) certifying and documenting all faculty and staff  in the technology application competencies (8) extending student certifications such as  MOUS, A+, CAD, Web Master, and Cisco Networking, and extend adult educational opportunities (9)  upgrading, re-allocation, and removing from inventory older technology units (10) employment of fully SIF compliant software for effective and efficient network compatibility replacing “piece-meal” administrative software.

Purpose

Arp ISD has prepared this Long-Range Technology Plan to articulate a common vision for technology in the district and identify the strategies that will help us use advanced technology to improve the academic achievement of all students, to provide alternative instructional strategies for engaging all types of learners, to provide enhanced resources 24-7 for all stake holders, to assist students in the development of high-skills in technology, research, critical thinking, and communication, to afford all students of rigorous curriculum standards, college-level articulated and dual credit courses, certifications, and SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) that are essential for academic and workplace success and to build the capacity of all teachers to integrate technology effectively into teaching and learning.

Background

This plan is based on information drawn from many sources including:

• Surveys from all stakeholders (http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/TECHPLAN/SURVEYINDX.htm ), inventory analysis, LAN management statistics, bandwidth usage, student use, remote access use, ClassServer course use, network storage, WAN diagnostics, help desk requests, and maintenance requests and turn-around time. 

The district committee utilizes various resources including:

Research and Development Resources

·        http://www.sedl.org/change/leadership/welcome.html

·        http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml

·        http://www.sedl.org/cgi-bin/mysql/eplan.cgi

·        http://nclb.pearsondigital.com/docs/PearsonDigitalLearning_SASIxp_whitepaper.pdf

·        http://www.ncrel.org/

·        http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/ch126toc.html

·        http://www.arp.sprnet.org/inserv/portfol1.htm

·        http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/admin/child_act.htm

·        http://www.echalk.com/erate_cipa.html

·        http://www.sl.universalservice.org/

·        http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/

·        http://www.echalk.com/erate_coppa.html

·        http://www.tcet.unt.edu/projects/

·        http://www97.intel.com/education/teach/index.htm

·        http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/LivingSkills/account.htm

·        http://www.arp.sprnet.org/inserv/Projectbase/Systemic%20Change.htm

·        TCEA Annual Conference

·        Tech Edge

·        Teaching & Learning (www.techlearning.com

·        www.ASCD.org

·        Learning & Leading with Technology (ISTE)

·        SEDL Letter

·        Threshold (www.ciconline.org )

·        District Administration Magazine

·        Educational Leadership (ASCD)

·        ATPE News

·        Communications of the ACM

 Qualitative & Quantitative Data Collection Instruments

 Arp TECHNOLOGY SURVEYS & RESOURCES at: http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/TECHPLAN/SURVEYINDX.htm

·        www.TDS3.com, mClass TPRI, i-Station, LightSpan, ClassServer standards-based assessments and student management reports

·        Number of MOUSE & A+ certifications

·        Number of students completing dual credit and articulated courses

·        Number of students completing 6 year Career & College Plans

·        Student and Faculty electronic portfolios

·        Current inventory by classroom, by teacher, by date of purchase, by date of upgrade

·        Current server space allocation and dedication

·        Current department chair software evaluations and recommendations

·        Interviews with site and district administrators and representatives from the Arp

·        Board Meeting Presentations and discussions

·        PTA and Open House Presentations

·        School improvement site-base meetings

·        Other district technology plans

·        Experience from SUPERNet Consortium & NETNet monthly technology meetings

·        Alerts from vendors on updates and hardware requirements

Parameters

 This Long-Range Technology Plan is driven by the state curriculum standards and supports the educational mission and instructional goals of Arp ISD and by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  Specific attention is given to addressing student standards for technology as defined by the Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), required in the Texas Education Code, Section 28.002.  The Technology Applications TEKS found in 19 TAC Chapter 126 describe what students should know and be able to do using technology. As a part of the enrichment curriculum, these TEKS are to be used as guidelines for providing instruction. The goal of the Technology Applications TEKS is for students to gain technology-based knowledge and skills and to apply them to all curriculum areas at all grade levels.

The plan stresses the importance of ongoing and sustained staff development in the integration of technology into the curriculum for teachers, principals, administrators, and school library media personnel to further the effective use of technology in the classroom or library media center.  Arp ISD has passed a board policy requiring 40 hours of technology integration professional development for all faculty members each year.   It also is consistent with the recommendations for LEAs as defined by the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology in the areas of Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Administration and Support Services, and Infrastructure for Technology, as well as the e-rate applications guidelines, and other state standards, such as the newly adopted Technology Applications Standards for Beginning Teachers.

Vision Statement

The vision of Arp Independent School District has been shaped by the pervading core values that all students can learn, all students deserve enriched curriculum, and all students need real-world skills to succeed. The vision of the Arp School’s Technology Committee is to provide all stakeholders with an enriched and appropriate, on-demand, learning environment suited to nurturing and empowering their vision to become highly-skilled, productive, successful citizens.

Mission Statement

Arp Schools are dedicated to providing all students with a safe, equitable, efficient, and effective educational environment where continuous life-long learning, character education, SCANS* foundational skills and competencies, the Texas Education Agency’s Essential Knowledge and Skills, integration of current technologies, research-based strategies, and authentic assessments are facets of the aligned curriculum.  We join parents and community members to assist students in developing the skills to become independent and self-sufficient adults who will succeed and contribute responsibly in a global community.

Demographics

*District Accountability Rating: Academically Acceptable

*Total Student Enrollment: 963

*District Size: AA

*Percent Economically Disadvantaged:  53.8%

*Total budget: $6,778.300

*Number of campuses: 3

Technology Expenditures: $      180,411.48

*Technology Expenditure Per Pupil: $188

*Technology as Percentage of Budget:  2%

Number of Campuses with Direct Connection to Internet:  3

*Percent of Campuses with Direct Connection to Internet: 100%

Percent of Classrooms with Direct Connection to Internet: 99%

Computer/Student Ratio:  3

Computer/Teacher Ratio: 1

Number of campuses completing the Texas Campus STaR Chart: 3

*Percent of campuses completing the Texas Campus STaR Chart: 100%

General Introduction

Arp ISD is currently housed in 2 facilities with high school and junior high campuses sharing a single facility.  The new high school will be opened in June 2004, expanding the number of classrooms from 78 to over 100.  There are 79 faculty members most having at one time served on the District Technology Committee.  There are 9 teachers who have mastered TIER 3 of the technology integration competencies (http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/LivingSkills/tiers.htm ) and are classified by the district as Instructional Technologists.  These teachers are mentors, presenters, and staff development trainers in technology integration for teachers in 17 school districts in the SUPERNet Consortium and 12 school districts in the ESC7 TARGET grant.  These teachers represent classrooms K-12 and present their “best practices” annually at the Texas Computer Education Association Conference.

 The District Technology Committee’s short term goals include:

(1) upgrading current implementation and deployment of new technologies to assist students in gaining knowledge and skills and to further document student achievement,

(2) fully equipping special needs and at-risk students with portable and hand-held technologies to assist in skills development and to level the playing field, especially for dyslexic and dysgraphic students,

(3) deployment of faster (Gigabit) network components to assist in 24-7 streaming video simulations and delivery of instruction.

(4) full implementation of multiple wireless networks (802.11g and microwave radio linkage) for full community access,

 (5) replacement of one inner-school T-1 connection with fiber,

(6) evaluation and expansion of Virtual School components on ClassServer and ITV to serve all students 24-7 (7) certify and documenting all faculty and staff in the technology application competencies

(8) extending student certifications such as  MOUS, A+, CAD, Web Master, and Cisco Networking, and extend adult educational opportunities

(9)  upgrading, re-allocate, and remove from inventory older technology units

(10 deployment of fully SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework) compliant district-wide administrative software for effective and efficient network compatibility replacing “piece-meal” software.

The District Technology Committee’s long term goals include:

(1)   Establishing a NetPrep or Cisco Academy at the High School

(2)   Supplying all students with the opportunity to participate in a laptop or portable technology buy-in program

(3)   Developing a fully accredited Virtual High School through the SUPERNet Consortium

(4)   Providing to-the-home wireless technologies for all Arp stakeholders to participate in Virtual School at a high speed access rate

(5)   Developing partnerships with area universities and colleges to provide advanced degrees and adult education through our distance learning network.

(6)   Extend the number of articulated and dual credit courses with state colleges and universities through distance learning

(7)   Increase the number of technology assistants to assist with technology help desk, classroom deployment, and faculty technology assistance.

Assessment Process

A comprehensive needs assessment utilizing teacher/student surveys, interviews, focus group sessions, inventories, LAN management software, bandwidth analysis, application logs, and the Texas Campus STaR Chart was conducted to analyze the current status of technology in the district and determine future needs.  Items analyzed included: infrastructure, hardware, software, programs, courses, student achievement, technology resources, staff development, and technical support.  Findings from this needs analysis are as follows.

Current Situation

The following technology is currently in place:

District-Wide

·        Direct connection to the Internet via T1 leased line to Cox Internet

·        District web servers in place providing district information and student work.

·        Written policies in place on acceptable use of the Internet, World Wide Web content, network management, Posting Policies, Purchase & Inventory policies, Retirement, Obsolete, and Re-allocation Policies,  Child Protection Policy, Disaster Recovery Policy, Back-up Policy,  Computer Checkout Policy and Equipment Donation Policy, .

·        Distance learning lab available for students, staff, and community members.

·        T-STAR satellite, receiver, Cable Channels, Cable Broadcasts, and Channel 1 used for district training and information.

Arp High School, Junior High & Elementary – one domain

·        Direct connection to the Internet via T1 leased line.

·        Web server & Web productivity server maintained by students with high school information and projects.

·        Twelve strand fiber-backbone, Fast Ethernet-to-the-desktop connected computer labs  and classrooms (fully switched) with 6 file servers for advanced technology classes, including CAD, desktop publishing, advanced word processing, web mastering, digital graphics and animation, video technology, computerized accounting, computer repair, and Microsoft Academic Authorized Training.

·        All students with an AUP account ( 3-12^th ) have a network folder and electronic portfolio

·        Exchange Server & Barracuda Spam, Virus, and Content Email Filter – all students have email accounts 3-12 grades

·        Norton Anti-virus Corporate Edition keeps the district functioning and reliable

·        Proxy Server for fast Internet retrieval and Firewall

·        Streaming Video Server

·        ClassServer for TEKS-based lessons and lesson plans, syllabi, standards-based benchmark tests, and student tracking related to TEKS mastery

·        Library CD-ROM Tower Server,

·        Video Production Servers

·        PEIMS servers

·        Remote Deployment Server

·        Remote Tape backup of all digital resources

·        Remote Access Server & Dialup Modem Pool for all stakeholders to access the Internet and district network folders and applications.

·        6 Application Servers – 2 for each campus

§         AR, STAR, Math, Science, LA, and SS software, assessments, and administrative and student management systems

§         TAKS software, Typing and Accounting Software,

§         Macromedia Studio, 3DMax Animation, FrontPage,

·        Networked online card catalog, Internet access, Texas Library Connection, and automated checkout in the library.

·        Out-sourced Online Curriculum and Assessments :

o       I-Station, LightSpan, TDS3.com, TRACKS, CertiPort, TPRI mClass

·        5 to 10 network drops in every classroom.

·        Multiple computer projectors on every campus for classroom checkout.

·        SmartBoards technologies in all labs

·        CPS units – 2 for each campus

·        All primary teachers have a Palm Zire for TPRI mClass

·        3 to 5 digital cameras per campus

·        All campuses have multiple high-end network laser printers and scanners

·        All schools have at least two networked computer labs with full-time teaching assistant to aid the staff in technology implementation and training, high school has 3 labs.

Telecommunications Services

Currently, all students and staff members in the school district have access to the Internet, through a direct connection (as cited above in the Statement of Existing Conditions). LANs are in place on every campus. Arp ISD affords all users dial-up access to district resources, filtered email and Internet through a remote access server and modem pool.   We have received a federal grant to place a wireless microwave tower in the district with antennae to the home for all students and teachers.  The access speed will be 60 Mbps on the download.  This grant will supplement student and teacher monthly charges for this fast wireless access.  This is scheduled to be placed in the district within the next 4 to 6 weeks.

Inventory

The latest inventory of current technology available for student use in Arp ISD as of February, 2004 is given in the chart below. Only current, non-obsolete (Pentium II speed or better; at least 128MB RAM; network-enabled) student computers are listed. The list does not include administrative computers or file servers.

Needs

 The Arp Technology Department and the District Technology Committee continuously conduct formal and informal online surveys and analyze network use, traffic, bandwidth, storage capacity and updates. (http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/TECHPLAN/SURVEYINDX.htm ) The immediate needs of the district include:

Teaching and Learning

(1) decreasing the number of students who need acceleration in TEKS and TAKS objectives due to the lack of skills, support, or ability to apply these skills across a wide range of every day situations.  The district needs assessment, based on benchmark tests, indicates that a large number of students are able to give rote and even refined answers, but lack the ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.  The district has spent over a year tracing this break-down in student performance.  We are convinced that to improve teaching and learning students require hands-on simulations and problem-solving tasks associated with real-world situations.  

(2) increasing the number of students who are able to access the district’s rich network resources concurrently.  In most classrooms there are at least 5 computers.  Now that the district is using ClassServer to administrate benchmark tests, piloting the online TAKS assessment, and developing enriched curriculum with streaming video tutorials, the number of computers per classroom must increase to allow all students these opportunities.

Educator Preparation and Development

(3) narrowing the technology proficiencies gap between teachers on each campus.  Faculty and staff members, according to the competency survey in January 2004, display a wide range of mastery levels -- from 1 to level 4 on the Texas STaR Chart on each campus.  The following is the district’s staff development policy (http://www.arp.sprnet.org/default/District/Inservice/arpPolicy.htm ):

DMC (LOCAL)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DMC-R

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

REQUIRED STAFF DEVELOPMENT Staff development training for all employees in a five-year cycle shall include:

1. Teachers: a minimum of 200 clock hours

2. Campus administrators: a minimum of 100 clock hours

3. Certified/non-certified professional personnel: a minimum of 100 clock hours

4. Support services personnel: a minimum of 50 clock hours

OVERVIEW Targeted areas for professional growth in alignment with SB 1 and the minimum of hours required in each 5-year cycle in each area include:

1. Teachers (200 hours for teachers)

a. Classroom Management and Discipline Strategies - minimum of 18 hours

b. Instructional Techniques/Strategies - minimum of 18 hours

c. Professional Ethics and Standards of Conduct - minimum of 18 hours

d. Content Area of Teaching - minimum of 50 hours

e. Technology Integration - minimum of 50 hours

f. Campus/District Priorities - minimum of 46 hours

The current district need is to assist teachers in implementing the skills gained during staff development and aligning accountability for student achievement during implementation in the classroom.

(4) developing teacher expertise in curriculum development for online courseware (researching, organizing,  planning, collaborating, building, field testing, adjusting, assessing, monitoring, and managing) to address student achievement, acceleration, and documentation of knowledge and skills mastery levels for NCLB.  Arp has 12 pilot teachers developing online curriculum for two TARGET grants (SUPERNet and ESC7) this year.  These teachers provide staff development for 24 other districts as master mentors. Arp Schools have scheduled 12 staff development days for the next two years in order to address teacher technology application competencies and advanced curriculum development.  These mentor teachers will have the opportunity to work closely with their own campuses and provide support for this initiative.

Administration and Support Services,

 (5) increasing the amount of technical assistance staff to support help desk,  community remote access availability, applications online, administrative software effectiveness, and remote deployment of updates and roll-outs.

(6) maintaining a vigorous update, re-allocation, and removal policy.  Currently we have 80 machines that are PIIs with 2 Gb hard drives.  They are in need of replacement in the classrooms.  Our plan is to distribute for home use 80 machines to at-risk students for access to the wireless community network.  Alternative funding is currently being sought for this project.

Infrastructure for Technology

(7) increasing the speed of the network backbone from 100KB to 1 GB by replacing or updating main switches on all campuses and adding a fiber connection between the elementary campus and the Main Distribution Facility (MDF).

(8)  increasing the amount of  storage space for student and teacher productivity folders, electronic portfolios, shared files, and application software.  All students on the Arp ISD network are afforded network folders for electronic portfolios and productivity. 

 Arp ISD developed goals and objectives based upon the recommendations defined by the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology in the areas of Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Administration and Support Services, and Infrastructure for Technology.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching & Learning focuses on the instructional needs of teachers and the learning needs of students in meeting the vision of technology in education. Goals that will be addressed include:

·        improve the academic achievement, including technology literacy, research, communication, and higher-order thinking of all students.

·        integrate technology (including software and electronically delivered learning materials) into curricula and instruction, and utilize a timeline for this integration.

Educator Preparation and Development

Educator Preparation and Development addresses the staff development needs not only of teachers but of all the members of the professional education community.  Goals that will be addressed in this area include:

·        improve the capacity of all teachers to integrate technology effectively into curriculum and instruction.

·        provide training to identify and promote curricula and teaching strategies that integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction, based on a review of relevant research and leading to improvements in student academic achievement.

·        provide ongoing, sustained professional development for: teachers, principals, administrators, and school library media personnel to further the effective use of technology in the classroom and the library media center.

·         Individual Student Academic Assessment

·         Report Card for Parents

·         AYP School and District Report Cards

·         Highly Qualified Teacher/Staff Reports

·         Teacher Qualifications Report Cards for Parents

·         Graduation and Dropout Rate Report

·         Title III Immigrant Funding Report

·         Safe Schools Reports

Administration and Support Services

Administration and Support Services addresses the role of the technology leader to create a shared vision, encourage and sustain the appropriate integration of technology, use modern information technology tools to embrace accountability and hence use data for sound decision-making and continual assessment of effective technology for improving student learning.  Goals that will be addressed include:

·        provide supporting resources, such as services, software, other electronically delivered learning materials, and print resources, that will be acquired to ensure successful and effective uses of technology.

·      use technology effectively to promote parental involvement and increase communication with parents.

·       provide access to adult literacy programs delivered by the district or in collaboration with adult literacy service providers.

 Infrastructure for Technology

Infrastructure for Technology focuses on hardware, software, and human infrastructure (the capabilities or proficiencies of those who use the technical components).  The infrastructure of a school is the critical element of support for all four areas of the Long-Range Plan for Technology.  This hardware—and the connecting peripherals such as the network connections and the resulting communications capabilities—enable the system to function properly. The infrastructure provides the foundation for software applications, computer programs such as graphics or spreadsheets, and the TEKS content.  The primary goal in this area will be:

·        ensuring that all students and teachers have increased access to technology.

·        enforcing a policy of Internet safety that includes measures to block or filter content for both minors and adults to certain visual depictions