California Department of Education EETT-F02BR Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT)

Education Technology Plan Benchmark Review

EETT-F02BR (rev. 09/04)

The Biggs Unified School District is located about 70 miles north of Sacramento in the north valley. The district covers 192 square miles. There are two separate elementary schools (K – 6) with one in the city of Biggs and one smaller elementary school in the nearby town of Richvale. While both Biggs Middle School (7 - 8) and Biggs High School (9 - 12) are on the same campus, each maintains a separate program. The District office houses not only the district office personnel but also the Independent Study, and the Intermediate and Secondary Community Day School Programs as well. A "Biggs Charter School" was recently started, but there is no data on that site as yet, so as data and attendance numbers are generated, that site will soon be included on future revisions of this technology plan.

The following data offers a snapshot of our district during the 2004-05 school year from the Ed Data (http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us/welcome.asp ) and Dataquest (http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ ) web sites.

Biggs Unified School District is committed to appropriately integrating technology into all areas of the curriculum and dedicated to the acquisition and support of effective educational technology that provides teachers and students real-world contexts for learning, connections to larger learning communities, and opportunities to individualize and apply learning. Implementing technology-based solutions into all functions and processes of instruction, management and communication is the responsibility of district and school site curriculum and technology leaders. Specifically our role is to:

Orchestrate the implementation of our technology plan components with stakeholders.

Keep the technology funding flowing and manage the technology budgets.

Keep the infrastructure, hardware, and software up to date.

Provide high-quality service to users on an ongoing basis.

Implement technology solutions that will make accountable differences in instruction, assessment, and management of students as well as improve communication and collaboration.

This revised EdTech Plan is the result of many hours of discussion, learning, and collaboration among a diverse representation of administrators, teachers, parents, and business partners. The original District Technology Stakeholder Committee was formed in the fall of 2000. The committee developed a comprehensive, research-based Education Technology Plan for the 2003-2006 school years that was reviewed, revised, and adopted by the district school board and subsequently approved by the California Department of Education in 2003. We are optimistically moving forward with this updated tech plan.

Biggs Unified School District’s Education Technology Plan is intended to serve as both a guide for technology related decision-making and an instrument to monitor and evaluate progress toward identified goals and objectives. An updated assessment of district technology status, needs, and resources has been completed for each section of our revised tech plan and has guided the development of our new technology goals, objectives and implementation activities. Our goals and objectives were established to meet the identified needs of integrating technology to improve student learning, providing equitable technology access and support, providing secure, timely information flow between home, school, and community, and providing coordinated, ongoing high quality educational technology professional development.

The Biggs Unified School District educational technology plan covers five years, from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2011. It will serve as the primary tool to guide the district’s acquisition, sustainability, and integration of technology to support the district’s curricular goals. This plan will be monitored by district curriculum, data, and technology coordinators, school administrators and school media specialists during regular education support meetings and reviewed and revised annually by technology stakeholders after the state releases achievement data for district school sites. Any modifications required through such review will be communicated to both the district Superintendent and school board. The district director of Information Technology will then work with the Superintendent to implement any required revisions directly with site-based administrators.

Our District’s original Educational Technology Planning Team has become our implementation oversight team. The group is comprised of district and site representatives who are responsible for implementing the plan, including district curriculum, data, and information technology staff; site administrators, teachers, students, and parents as well as partners in higher education, community non-profit groups, and local businesses.

The team originally convened in the 2000-01 school year to serve as a strategic planning committee for technology in the development of our original technology plan. Since then, the team has met as needed with the core technology advisory team and sub groups meeting more frequently as needed. A district email contact list provides stakeholders with a mechanism for ongoing input and updates regarding the objectives, funding, budgets, and curricular guidelines contained within our technology plan. In addition, progress is reviewed at regular district education support meetings with site administration to:

Evaluate the status of the current technology plan and make adjustments if needed.

Monitor progress on current technology projects.

Gather and evaluate district technology data with regard to hardware, wiring, resources, professional development and projects.

Collect and analyze survey and technology data.

Identify and update common technology needs and issues.

This plan builds upon and incorporates the work of previous planning committees and district plans.

As stakeholders review technology plan outcome and process data, the following key questions are addressed:

Are the district and schools’ visions for student success aligned to today's knowledge-based, Digital Age? Are administrators committed to the vision?

Is student academic achievement improving where technology is being used effectively?

Are students demonstrating proficiency in technological literacy?

Are educators proficient in implementing, assessing and supporting a variety of effective practices for teaching and learning?

Do students and school staff have robust access to technology - anytime, anywhere - to support effective designs for teaching and learning?

Is the digital divide being addressed through resources and strategies that ensure that all students are engaging in an educational program aligned to the district’s vision of technology integration?

District Curriculum Personnel – the Superintendent (other curriculum personnel include appointees by the site administrators and include site lead teachers as well)

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team promote, direct, and facilitate the technology team’s development of broad and inclusive goals and objectives for curriculum, resources, and operations that include technology. Our curriculum personnel integrate 21^st century skills into the overall vision for student achievement and into every aspect of learning, teaching, and administrating. Curriculum personnel define clear and specific standards-aligned academic objectives by grade and subject; support research-based best practices and instructional programs; develop student assessment and data monitoring systems and monitor school performance and make adjustments based on school performance.

District Technology Personnel – the District Technology Coordinator

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team provide overall coordination of the technology implementation and oversight team, funding resources, and the implementation of the goals and objectives set forth in this updated technology plan.

District Financial Personnel – the Director Fiscal Services and staff

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team provide coordination of technology funds and budget issues.

Site Administration – Site Principals

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team provide site-based updates on tech plan implementation and needs; monitor teacher performance and student learning; make adjustments based on teacher and student performance; ensure the use of adopted materials, research-based best practices and instructional programs; provide input on how technology can better support the teaching of standards-aligned academic objectives.

Site Teachers – Teacher-representation from our Elementary, Middle, High School, Alternative and Continuation Schools

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team provide input on efforts and outcomes using research-based technology programs and practices to support the district curricular goals and academic content standards and improve teaching and learning.

Parents / Students – Parents of children enrolled in our Elementary, Middle, High School, Alternative and Continuation Schools and students.

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team provide input on the district and schools’ efforts to integrate technology and 21^st century skills in the standards-aligned curriculum. Parents and students advocate for equity in access to technology and the opportunity to master core subjects and 21^st century skills.

Government Agencies – representatives from the California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP) Region 2.

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team offered technical assistance with: the data analyses and revision of our goals and objectives; professional development planning and implementation; EETT Formula Funding; E-rate; compliance issues; hardware, software, and infrastructure.

Community Groups & Businesses – Computers For Classrooms

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team offered assistance with the implementation of our tech plan objectives focused on improving technology equity, access, after school opportunities, and home-school-community communications.

Higher Education – California State University Chico, Director of Academic Technologies and Instructional Media Center

Design & Implementation Roles: Representatives on our Tech Plan team reviewed a draft of our tech plan and offered input on research-based best practices in the adoption and integration of technology by teachers and students.

The Biggs Unified School District continues to solicit and expand our partnerships with stakeholders to enhance the infusion of educational technology into the curriculum. Our district recognizes that schools alone do not have the resources or expertise to keep pace with rapidly changing technology. We believe that these partnerships will help us serve the growing needs of an increasingly technical and global education system and society.

This section addresses each of our six strategic curriculum driven technology goals and the development of each of our remaining technology plan components. State, district and site research-based curriculum planning documents and survey data, state and local student achievement results, and EdTech Profile survey data have served to guide our technology team in determining which research-based best practices to include in our 2006-2011 curriculum driven technology goals.

The following goals will strategically meet our students’ need to acquire and refine their technology and information literacy skills in order to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and ideally the enjoyment of their learning experiences as they master the core content standards.

Goal 1: District schools will use technology to support the district curricular goal of ALL students attaining proficiency or better with ELA content standards by the 2013-14 school year.

Goal 2: District schools will use technology to support the district curricular goal of ALL students attaining proficiency or better with Math content standards by the 2013-14 school year.

Goal 3: All Students will acquire the National Education Technology grade level profile standards for students (NETS) to support achievement of the academic standards in the classroom, district curricular goals, and ultimately for lifelong learning and success in our digital society.

Goal 4: All students will have equal access to technology to support achievement of the academic standards in the classroom, district curricular goals, and ultimately for lifelong learning and success in our digital society.

Goal 5: The district will support district and site use of technology to improve student achievement data collection, analysis, reporting, and decision-making.

Goal 6: The district and schools will use technology to improve two-way communication between home and school.

The following describes the technology access available in classrooms, library/media centers, or labs for all students, including special education, GATE, English Language Learners, both during and after school hours. Access to appropriate site-based technology resources has been evaluated through district inventory records, annual California School Tech Survey data. The 2004-05 data has been summarized below.

According to our current California Technology Survey and district records, our student to computer ratio for computers four years old or newer is 6.3:1 overall (124 computers for our 787 students k – 12). Additionally it should be noted that there are 106 computers presently that are older than four years, so it is obvious that our technology is aging. Without additional financial resources and commitments, that ratio will increase dramatically to 8:1 within one to two years due to the aging of the current computers. All teachers at all 7 BUSD K-12 schools in our district have access to a minimum of one multi-media computer with Internet access in their classrooms as well as in their Library/Media Centers, and/ or Computer Labs, before, during, and after school hours (however, many of these are aging computers). All teachers will schedule before and/ or after school access to computer programs and the Internet as needed for students to complete classroom activities. In addition, all students participating in the Kids.com after-school program at the Biggs Middle School, Biggs High School, and each of the elementary sites have computer and Internet access for 90 minutes after school on a daily basis. Additionally, all sites provide before-school and after-school access to students on an as-needed basis as teachers and librarians arrive early before school and stay later for an hour after school, providing help to individual students.

The following data offers a snapshot of hardware /software use and typical frequency and technology / information literacy skills integrated in the curriculum in our district from the 2004-05 EdTech Profile certificated staff survey data. Complete BUSD data is available in our district EdTech Profile reports.

Technology is being integrated primarily in the classroom in core curriculum for word processing, reinforcement and practice, Online and CD-ROM research, and creating reports or projects. (See details in charts below)

Renaissance Place, Accelerated Reader, Reading Counts and SRI, Star Math and Accelerated Math, Math Blaster, Microsoft Office Suite, Internet resources, Adobe Reader, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Encore, Aeries Student Information Systems, Aeries ABI Browser Interface (for teachers and communications), Edusoft integrated online assessment program, a variety of grading programs, and CLRN approved curriculum based software.

The Biggs Unified School District has established clear curricular goals tied to the academic content standards monitored by various district and site-based assessment systems, and referenced in comprehensive planning documents and efforts. The common underlying purpose of all our district improvement plans is to improve student achievement of the state content standards.

Our 2004-05 state student achievement data indicates that our rigorous academic goals and objectives, aligned to both the content and cognition levels identified in the California Adopted Academic Content Standards and Frameworks, are beginning to have a positive impact at our schools. Our curricular focus is helping all students reach proficiency with the content standards and extra support for our significant subgroups of students who are not yet proficient. (See Student Achievement data that follows.)

District: Biggs Unified

County: Butte

Data Resource: http://ayp.cde.ca.gov/reports/page2.asp?subject=AYP&level=District&submit1=Submit

 

District: Biggs Unified

County: Butte

Our district met most of the 2005 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Criteria: 19 of its 22 AYP Criteria

The district goals and corresponding specific measurable objectives that support them can be found in the following documents.

The most recent Biggs Elementary School Accountability Report Card states "the public interest is best served through assuring high quality education for all students; and, that knowledgeable, well-trained, and effective educators are essential to achieve excellence in education. The staff is dedicated to providing a high quality program through a combination of effective and innovative teaching methods. With the discontinuation of the state-funded SIP days, Biggs Elementary has faced the difficult task of meeting new state mandates, which require mastery of the California State Standards with limited time allotted for collaboration, or staff in-servicing and training. To alleviate this problem, goals and objectives need to be prioritized and attacked systemically. Butte County Office of Education has formed a partnership with our district, offering local staff development in a various areas of education."

The Biggs Elementary School mission statement states "Biggs Elementary School, staff, and community are committed to creating a safe, positive environment where academic excellence is promoted and individual growth is celebrated. All students will become lifelong learners who will value education and accept their social and global responsibilities."

Concerning Biggs Middle School and Biggs High School, board policy states that "the Governing Board recognizes that a well-articulated sequence of courses fosters academic progress and makes the best possible use of instructional time. The Board shall adopt a course of instruction, which sufficiently prepares students for the high school course of study required by state law. The Superintendent or designee shall keep the Board informed of any changes in the middle school and high school curriculum and shall solicit ways for expanding or improving our students' preparation for high school."

The Biggs High Expected School-Wide Learning Results states that "upon graduation from Biggs High School, every student will be an effective communicator who is an active listener and is able to read, understand & evaluate information and who responds appropriately either verbally or in written form. The student will be a lifelong learner who accepts and adapts to change, takes responsibility for his own success or failure, seeks information, asks questions effectively, and takes risks in exploring new ideas. The student will be a co-operative, collaborative learner and worker, who demonstrates the ability to work individually or collaboratively and who monitors her own behavior in groups and can assess or manage the group. The student will also demonstrate interactive communication who shows consideration for individual differences and who establishes and accomplishes individual and group goals. The student will also be a quality producer who creates intellectual, artistic, practical or physical products, who is able to use appropriate resources (human or intellectual), who, and works independently or collaboratively to complete tasks and accomplish goals in a timely manner. The student will be a productive member of society who is an active member of the school & community, who demonstrates positive and productive citizenship, who acknowledges and respects diversity and who accepts personal responsibility. The student will be a complex thinker who solves problems independently and as part of a team, who gathers, interprets, evaluates, and applies information to real-life situations, who uses logical and effective decision-making processes, and who applies basic academic skills in problem-solving situations."

The stated mission of Biggs High School is "to make all learners academically and vocationally prepared, self-reliant, curious, creative, thoughtful of others, technologically competent, and capable of using their learning to succeed in life and positively contribute to the community."

The Richvale School Accountability Report Card states: "Students need to work in an environment of excellence. Within such an atmosphere students are challenged through high expectations to set realistic goals, and to work toward mastering many levels of achievement. The Richvale Elementary staff recognizes that students need to develop respect for other students, teachers, staff, property, and the educational process. We have high expectations for student behavior, and encourage kindness and care. We also hold strong to family commitments."

All the school sites at BUSD share the mission statement for the school district:

"Biggs Unified School District’s mission is to prepare each student for the future, be it vocational or higher education. Students will leave Biggs Unified School District with respect for the world they inhabit and for all humanity."

Other district and site comprehensive planning documents and data that establish and/ or guide our standards-based curriculum include:

The site-level adopted State Content Standards for K-12.

The district LEA plan.

No Child Left Behind compliance / implementation documentation.

CDE and Federal district-wide school achievement data from annual AYP, API, and STAR results.

The CDE’s Academic Performance Survey (APS) and District Assessment Survey (DAS)

The District’s Master Plan for English Language Learners (ELL) describes the policies for identifying, assessing, and reporting students who have a primary language other than English. This ELL Master Plan provides details on the reclassification procedure and the English Language Development and instructional programs to be provided for ELL students to assist them in meeting and/or exceeding district content standards and graduation requirements.

The District’s Gifted and Talented (GATE) Plan provides challenging curriculum and instruction to gifted and talented students capable of achieving significantly beyond the level of their peers. The GATE plan supports the provision of services that are integrated into the regular school day as differentiated learning experiences that are based on the core curriculum.

The Policy and Procedures handbook which details the District’s philosophy and goals, and policy and procedures regarding students, instruction, promotion and retention, equity, administration, personnel, community relations, business, and much more.

Site–based Single Plans for Student Achievement, SARC, WASC and CPM self study reviews and actions plans. School Improvement Program (SIP), categorical programs, and other program goals, which vary from site to site.

Our current district Educational Technology Plan.

3d- 3h. Curricular Driven Technology Goals and Implementation Plans

All of the Curriculum Component Criteria 3d-3j elements are included in the curricular driven action plan charts in the Component 3 pages that follow. Our curricular driven technology plans include clear, specific, realistic goals and measurable objectives that will support our district’s curriculum goals and student achievement of the state approved content standards.

Here is a summary of our curricular driven Ed Tech goals. The details can be found in the charts that follow.

3d. To Improve Teaching and Learning

Goal 1: Our schools will use technology to support the district curricular goal of ALL students attaining proficiency or better with ELA content standards by the 2013-14 school year.

Goal 2: Our schools will use technology to support the district curricular goal of ALL students attaining proficiency or better with Math content standards by the 2013-14 school year.

3e. For Student Acquisition of Technology and Information Literacy Skills.

Goal 3: All district students will acquire the National Education Technology grade level standards for students (NETS) to support achievement of the academic standards in the classroom, district curricular goals, and ultimately for lifelong learning and success in our digital society.

3f. For Appropriate Access to Technology for All Students

Goal 4: All district students will have equal access to technology to support achievement of the academic standards in the classroom, district curricular goals, and ultimately for lifelong learning and success in our digital society.

3g. To Make Student Record Keeping & Assessment More Efficient and Useful

Goal 5: Our district will support district and site use of technology to improve student achievement data collection, analysis, reporting, and research/ data driven decision-making.

3h. To Make Teachers and Administrators More Accessible to Parents.

Goal 6: Our district and schools will use technology to improve two-way communication between home and school.

Our Education Technology Plan provides a clear summary of our district teachers’ and administrators’ current technology skills from the EdTech Profile survey. Our survey findings are summarized by discrete skills in order to better facilitate professional development planning that meets our identified needs and technology plan goals. Additional district technology integration data can be found in Component 3b of our Technology Plan.

Our district reviews EdTech Profile survey data and teacher input annually in the spring to plan for district sponsored professional development activities for the next school year. Schools use their site’s EdTech Profile survey data and teacher input annually to plan for site-based professional development needs.

EdTech Profile survey data of district school site administrator’s as of March 2006, indicates that most administrators are at the introductory levels with general computing, Internet, e-mail, word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, and database skills.

District Teachers’ Survey Data
EdTech Profile survey data of district teachers as of March, 2006, indicates that most teachers are at intermediate levels with general computing, Internet, e-mail, and word processing and at the introductory level in presentation, spreadsheet, and database skills.

In addition, the following district technology training preferences came from 2005
EdTech Profile survey data for the district and were factored into our professional development plans.

The implication: Although we will continue to offer both Basic Personal Proficiency and Professional proficiency technology integration training, we will offer more curriculum integration opportunities to meet the need.

The implication: We will offer small group technology training primarily supported by online web-based resources and provide one on one technology coach site-based support, meeting all three identified needs.

The implication: We will offer technology training at a variety of times, with most offerings during the day, as in small group in-services or on-line. Some professional development will occur during the school day with subs and during summer workshops and conferences.

All of the Professional Development Criteria 4b-d elements are included in the teachers’ and administrators’ professional development action plan charts in the Component 4 pages that follow. Our professional development action plans are based on a thorough needs analysis and include clear, specific, realistic goals, and measurable objectives that will provide our teachers and administrators with sustained, ongoing professional development necessary to implement the Curriculum Component of our Education Technology Plan.

Our three main Education Technology professional development goals over the next five years are:

Goal 1: All teachers in the district will become proficient with the same general technology skills, technology integration skills, and information literacy skills required of their students as well as proficient with work specific productivity tools.

Goal 2: All teachers in the district will become proficient in the use of technology to improve student achievement data collection, analysis, reporting, and decision-making.

Goal 3: District site administrators and teachers will become proficient in the use of technology to improve two-way communication between home and school.

The accomplishment of these goals will be met through the following:

Our Education Technology Professional development will encompass a three-tiered professional development approach based on teachers’ individual technology training needs.

1. Annually as needed, we will offer Personal proficiency training on NETs skills including general computer knowledge and skills, Internet skills, Email skills, Word processing skills, Presentation software skills, and Spreadsheet /Database software skills.

2. Annually as needed, we will offer Professional proficiency training on NETs skills integration including information literacy, curriculum-based software, adopted materials software resources, online resources such as SETs, and job specific productivity and assessment tools.

3. Annually as needed, we will offer Technology Leadership / Coach proficiency training: Training interested teachers as site-based coaches offering support to teachers as they work toward proficiency in tiers one and two.

Our coordinated professional development plan is based on the analysis of our teachers’ and administrators’ technology skills and needs as well as our district’s curricular goals. The district will offer a variety of training options such as the CTAP Online (www.ctaponline.org) learning portal, face-to-face training & collaboration time, and one-on-one coaching. We will maximize the use of technology and site resources to support the district’s goals and objectives for curriculum, instruction, intervention, and assessment, including but not limited to the following:

Site-based technology coaches and CTAP Online mentors available to each district site.

District as well as site based annual face-to-face technology skill professional development opportunities.

Anytime, anywhere online district technology professional development opportunities using CTAP Online Personal and Professional Proficiency technology classes and supported by site based technology coaches.

District content and grade-band specific technology integration face-to-face professional development supported with district professional development and resources online using CTAP Online’s CourseBuilder tool.

CTAP Online technology integration training.

Broad-based pre/post completions of the EdTech Profile survey and professional development data analysis to track improvements and training needs.

Annual professional development offerings / priorities based on student, teacher, and administrator EdTech Profile survey data and district curricular goals.

Student assessment and intervention, student information system, web publishing, e-mail, and voice-mail training opportunities for all stakeholders as needed to support student achievement and improve home / school communications and interventions.

Identification, training, and use of low and no cost Internet, video-conferencing and face-to-face learning opportunities and resources. National, State and local online research-based strategies and resources will be leveraged and integrated during faculty meetings, collaboration time, and professional development such as the U.S. Department of Education’s web site What Works Clearinghouse (http://www.w-w-c.org/). We will regularly examine and use relevant data from the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), which was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. We will also rely on the County Office of Education, CTAP Region 2, and CTAP Online resources, and the Statewide Education Technology Services (SETS) which includes: California Learning Resource Network (CLRN)- which identifies CDE approved supplemental electronic learning resources that both meet local instructional needs and embody the implementation of California curriculum frameworks and standards; the Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL) - which helps administrators find technology resources to assist in the day-to-day needs of their jobs; and the Technical Support for Education Technology in Schools (TechSETS) - which provides technical professionals in California schools improved access to training, support and other resources.

Additional district standardized and CLRN approved curriculum and intervention software and online services for English/Language Arts and Math for all K-12 grade levels.

Additional K-8 SBE adopted textbook publisher companion technology resources, particularly for English/Language Arts and Math.

Subscriptions to online research resources such as EBSCO and SIRS

CLRN approved assistive software as identified by Special Education teachers by the district

Upgrades to existing software versions as needed.

Total Number of district schools connected to the Internet by:

Full T-1: 6

District-paid and site-paid tech support will continue at the same level.

DAS/CPUC/CA Teleconnect Fund and the Federal E-rate program will continue throughout the duration of the Ed tech plan.

EETT Formula grant funds will continue at approximately the same funding rate throughout the duration of the Ed tech plan.

EETT Competitive grant continues to be available to grades 4-8 upon successful grant application approval.

There will not be any state or district budget freezes for the duration of our Tech Plan.

The volunteer nonprofit Computers for Classrooms computer-refurbishing program will continue throughout the duration of the plan.

School site budgets and Title 1 funds will fund some of the site-specific hardware, software, professional development, and tech support outlined in the plan.