Analysis of the Long-Range Plan, Wk 1, part 3

As an educator, I did not know that the state had a technology initiative dating back to November 1988, as well as a major initiative from 2006 - 2020. I do now know that No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 led to a 2002 update of the plan so that the goals and objectives of the long-range plan would be aligned with the federal plan. Because of the strides in the area of technology, it was time to revisit the long-range plan and make changes accordingly. The changes will be implemented in the following phases: Phase I - 2006 - 2010, Phase II - 2011 - 2015, Phase III - 2016 - 2020.

What I have learned from the long-range plan is that the majority of school-aged kids have computer access and are frequent users. As a state, Texas has to tap into that audience and find ways to reach those students. As for teachers, it was eye-opening to find that veteran teachers are participating and using technology. Therefore, the interest is definitely there for gains in technology. The state must keep up by providing the funding, resources, and training to keep Texas at the forefront of technology and education. What is woven throughout the entire long-range plan is the access to technologies, tools, resources, and services by students, parent, teachers, and stakeholders 24/7. The involvement and commitment of districts to upgrade and maintain infrastructure is key to the continued implementation of the plan.

As an instructional leader, what I can most use from the analysis of the Long-Range Plan is that in order to implement many of the changes, funding must be available. As an instructional leader, I can assist my campus by writing grants that may help my campus qualify for more computers for the students. Another area is student to computer ratio. Students must have current operating systems in order to effective. Money must be budgeted to replace obsolete computers. In addition, as an instructional leader, I must provide technical assistance and professional development to the staff. Teachers need to move towards becoming an Advanced or Target Tech on the STaR chart. The Long-Range Plan is daunting but in order for students to become life-long learners who can compete in the global economy, we must develop technology skills in an aggressive manner.