I have searched the Navarro ISD website and was not able to find a technology plan by itself. I did find reference to technology in the “Navarro Elementary School Campus Improvement Plan”, (http://www.nisd.us/district/Improvement_Plans/09-10/ES_CIP_2009-2010.pdf), which I will simply refer to as the Plan. One of the goals set out in this plan on page six is “A progressive five-year plan to replace or update inadequate facilities, capital equipment, and technology infrastructure” and repeated in more detail on page seven, “The classroom use of technology will increase as reflected by the following levels on the Texas Star Chart: Teaching & Learning-Developing Tech, Infrastructure for Technology-Advance Tech,
Administration & Support Services-Advanced Tech, Educator Preparation-Developing Tech”. Unfortunately, as of Oct. 18th, the link for “Campus Data Search” on the website http://starchart.esc12.net/ is still broken and I am not able to access the assessment information for Navarro ISD. Still there is a lot of information about technology at Navarro ISD in this document so I will be examining it for the five elements necessary in a technology plan as indicated on the Technology Planning and E-Rate Support Center
I’ve identified several “Activities” as they are referred to in the Plan related to technology within the goals that have been set forth in the Plan. Although Goal #6 includes activities that are most directly related to a technology plan, I wanted to list these other goals as evidence for how technology is being integrated into the curriculum and processes at Navarro Elementary.
“Goal #1: Each student subgroup will maintain recognized status and strive to reach exemplary status as well as raise our commended levels. (page 9)”, the following activities:
Activity “15. Teachers will be provided with release time for vertical teaming and curriculum alignment as well as integration of C-Scope.”
Activity “20. A vertically-aligned, rigorous curriculum (CSCOPE) will be implemented in the core subjects.”
Under “GOAL #2: The Elementary Campus will foster a partnership with parents through a number of opportunities to directly participate in their child's education. Parents will be notified in their home language (page11)”, the following activities:
Activity “3. Parents and community members will be informed of school activities, meetings and student performance on the campus web site.”
Activity “9. Teachers will increase communication with parents through regularly-updated teacher web sites and lesson plans.”
Activity “10. Parents will be given routine access to the parent portal to check both attendance and academic grades.”
Under “GOAL #4: Maintain 100% highly qualified staff, provide targeted professional development, and increase staff diversity. [Title I Schoolwide Components 3, 4, & 5.] (page 13)”, the following activities:
Activity “8. Provide technology training for the development of classroom websites.”
Activity “10. Professional development activities will include: subject/grade level training; ; behavior management; technology/technology integration; disaggregation of test scores; harassment/bullying prevention; emergency procedures; CPI; ESL; and instructional strategies for special populations with use of CSCOPE.”
Activity “11. Add one certified professional computer teacher position to deliver instruction to our students.”
Without going further I can see that Navarro Elementary is using telecommunications and information technology in a realistic means and setting goals with real purposes.
In Goal #6 of the Plan, twenty-one different activities are identified for meeting the assessment criteria set forth in the Texas STaR Chart. For each activity, the Staff Responsible, Resources, Timeline and Evaluation methods are identified. Although the Texas STaR Chart assessments may have been used, they are not included in the Plan. There is, however, a written assessment that identifies accomplishments such as additional computer lab with 24 stations and the purchase of “Scope on the Rope” to enhance science lessons. A detailed assessment of telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services needed is not present here.
In general, I believe that what is included in Navarro Elementary’s School Campus Improvement Plan is a conservative technology plan. This plan meets most of the goals needed for a technology plan, but is lacking some details. There should be a detailed assessment of telecommunication services, hardware, software and other services. Resource amounts are not clearly defined, only where funds will come from and evaluation details are not clear for the activities listed as well as monitor the progress toward the activities and make corrections in response to new developments and opportunities as they arise. Navarro is a small three A school with limited resources and that may explain the conservative effort in this plan.
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