Harford+County+Technology+Plan

Harford County Public Schools Technology Plan, 2009 -2013 **Critiqued By: Kim W. and Allison and Timothy Jones**

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**Number of years plan has been and will be in effect**:  2009-2013  ||
 * **Plan reviewed:** 2009
 * **Stakeholder groups involved in developing the plan:**

Harford County Students, Parents and Community Members

Harford County Public Schools Teachers and Staff

Board of Education members

Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils town meeting with Superintendent and Senior Staff

Board of Education’s Citizen Advisory Committees

Director of Technology’s meetings with Harford Community College Curriculum Advisory Panel

Office of Technology’s Technology Liaisons

> Martha Barwick – IT SpecialistDina Kropkowski – IT SpecialistJim Kelly- Technical Services Team leaderKevin Burns- User Support Team LeaderMatthew Payne- Applications Development/Project ManagerWendy Holston- Client service / server support team leader || (Harford County Technology Plan, 2009, pg 17) || Background infomation Building a foundation for the plan Strucute of the office of technology Objectives 1- 5 Glossary List of acronyms Appendices: Alignment resources Maryland Ed tech partnerships Sample measurement tools Stakeholder survey Technology literacy standards Maryland professional development standards Professional development plan Data collection and reporting standards Buisness efficiency enhancements Acceptable use policy for students Information security plan Funding projections Bibliography Awknowledgements ||
 * Andrew Moore- CIO
 * ** Process used to develop this plan: ** ** - The plan incorporates best available research and state and national technology goals and standards to reflect the current context for technology infusion ** ** - Contributors to the plan include the Team Leaders in the Office of Technology for Instructional Technology, Applications Development, Client/Server Support, Technical Services, User Support and the Information Security Administrator ** ** - Feedback on draft versions of the plan included comments from the General Curriculum Committee in June 2007, feedback from the Technology Liaisons in May 2007, and results from over 1100 stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members participating in an online survey in April 2008 ** ** -The HCPS Technology Plan will be shared at leadership meetings, with Technology Liaisons, and will be posted on the HCPS web site ** ** - It is expected that School personnel, students, parents, and the community must understand and embrace the common goals for technology integration ** ** - Through this process, HCPS works toward alignment with the HCPS Bridge to Excellence Master Plan, the HCPS Strategic Plan, the HPCS Technology Plan and the Maryland State Technology Plan. **
 * ** Format for this plan: ** ** PDF ** ||
 * ** Sections (e.g. curricular areas, professional development) included in this plan: **
 * ==== ** Goals and sample indicators included in this plan: ** ====

** Strategy: **
=== To prepare students for the workforce of the 21st century, student technology literacy standards are seamlessly embedded within curriculum and instruction, and technology resources are leveraged to promote learning environments that are student-centered, relevant, authentic, and flexible. ===

==== Develop policies and procedures and seek funding opportunities to provide digital resources to educators, students, parents, and communities before and after school hours, including collaboration with public libraries. (Office of Technology/Technology Steering Committee) ====

**1.2 Digital content will be integrated into all instruction, as appropriate, to support teaching and learning.**
==== Establish a process, rubric, and criteria for developing electronic toolkits that provide lesson seeds and other instructional resources that incorporate technology and information literacy, and that are aligned to the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC and HCPS curriculum). (Office of Curriculum and Instruction/OTIS) ====

==== Implement and publish effective practices that use new and emerging technologies, especially as they relate to sustaining and enhancing a learning environment that is relevant, continuous, and adaptable. (OTIS) ====

==== Continue partnerships with existing digital libraries such as Maryland Public Library Electronic Resource Consortium (MPLERC), Maryland Digital Library (MDL), and MDK12 Digital Library Consortium. (OTIS, Library and Media Services) ====

==== Continue to collaborate with Assistive Technology Team to promote and share “effective practices” in implementing digital content that accommodate diverse learning needs of all students. (Assistive Technology/OTIS) ====

==== Develop and implement a cross curricular tool roadmap by grade and subject area to publish model lesson plans and assessment items to measure technology-related knowledge and skills. (OTIS/Office of Curriculum and Instruction) ====

==== Ensure that School Improvement Plans include technology plans with strategies that incorporate the Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students into regular instruction. (Teachers, School Administrators, Technology Liaisons, OTIS, Media Specialists) ====

==== Library media specialists collaborate with classroom teachers, other educators, and public libraries to provide authentic learning experiences that develop proficiency in information literacy, communication, and technology literacy skills. (Library Media Services/OTIS) ====

Strategy:
===Instructional staff embarks on a course of continuous improvement in the area of technology proficiency using technology standards as a framework for improvement, and shift from a teacher-centered learning environment to a student-centered learning environment.===

====Explore ways to integrate the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (MTTS) and Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students (MTLSS) into all professional development programs, including courses for recertification and continuing professional development, and content specific professional development coordinated through the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. (Office of Curriculum and Instruction/ OTIS)====

====Share models of successful professional development that address the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards through strategic partnerships and the Professional Development Coordinators. (OTS/ SILT Teams/Office of Professional Development, Content Supervisors)====

====Develop high-quality professional development hybrid and online resources and e-communities to provide anytime, anywhere course opportunities and support for technology infusion. (OTIS/Office of Curriculum and Instruction)====

====Build internal capacity in SharePoint to support technology-related professional development using district and school administrators, county or school-based technology infusion specialists, school library media specialists, teachers, and other knowledgeable partners. (OTIS)====

====Develop evaluation criteria and standards-based tools that can be used by school and central office administrators in observations to evaluate an instructional staff member’s competency related to the Standards. (OTIS/SILT)====

====Align the Maryland Technology Standards for School Administrators with the Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework to guide professional development for administrators. (OTIS/Office of Professional Development)====

====Use the online technology toolkit for administrators to assess the knowledge and skills of administrators and assist them in creating professional development plans for meeting the Standards. (OTIS/CILT)====

====Provide professional development opportunities for administrators and administrator candidates to understand the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards and the Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students. (OTIS/CILT)====

====Determine a process to collect quality, consistent data in measuring the progress of administrators in mastering the Maryland Technology Standards for School Administrators to meet federal reporting requirements. (OTIS/CILT)====

====**2.3 One instructional technology infusion specialist will be available for every 100 instructional and administrative staff members to assist with professional development and curriculum integration.**====

==== ** Strategy: HCPS will incorporate the use of electronic information to support student learning and improve accountability. Access to real-time data will allow for analysis and decision making to improve productivity and efficiency at all levels. ** ====

====Research, acquire, and maintain systems that will provide anytime, anywhere access to resources, data, and information with appropriate access rights and systems to provide electronic communication (community portal). (OTIS)====

====Ensure that local needs assessment policies, procedures, and evaluation criteria include expectations for the use of student information systems, curriculum/content management systems, and learning management systems to inform local program and instructional decisions. (Curriculum and Instruction)====

====Provide high-quality professional development opportunities for staff, as appropriate, to effectively use the information management systems to monitor student performance, to analyze student data, and to use the results to inform instructional decisions. (Office of Research and Accountability/SILT)====

====Develop, document and share effective practices and protocols in security design and management to ensure the confidentiality, privacy, and integrity of student and staff data, as well as protect school system data. (OTIS)====

===Strategy: To maintain the highest level of access and operational/computational efficiency, all technologies must have a strategic roadmap aimed at refresh; increased performance and appropriate safeguards; high quality support for maintenance and purposeful accessibility to meet the needs of all learners.===

====Implement strategies, such as Return on Investment (ROI), through collaborative data collection pilots that assist with cost savings for technology planning. (OTIS/Office of Research and Accountability)====

===4.2 HCPS will have policies and procedures in place to address equivalent accessibility to technology-based products for students, as defined by Education Article §7-910 of the Public Schools - Technology for Education Act.===

====Develop plans, including policies and procedures, for after school access to computers and other technologies and resources, especially in areas where technology is not available in homes. (OTIS/Tech Liaisons)====

5.1 HCPS Bridge to Excellence Master Plans/Updates and Technology Plans will address needs identified from an analysis of data from the Online Technology Inventory Report and other sources.
====Review planning documents for the inclusion of strategies to address local technology needs based on an analysis of data from the Online Technology Inventory Report and other sources (OTIS/SIT/Tech Liaisons)====

====Conduct onsite visits and engage in ongoing dialogue with school to monitor progress toward goals and objectives of School Technology Plans, to collect promising practices, and to ascertain technical assistance need. (OTIS,SILT Teams)====

===5.3 To build capacity to evaluate instructional technology programs and initiatives related to the effective use of technologies for teaching and learning, the State, in collaboration with the Maryland Instructional Technology Advisory Council and HCPS will:===

•Conduct research studies, linked to national and state standards, to assess the impact of technology on teaching and learning by specific interventions such as:
===•New program and content implementation; o School reform models; o Instructional strategies for targeted subgroups and students at risk; o New models for professional development; and o Innovative models of instructional practice.===

====Explore models and research through a statewide Website and state/national conferences to provide information about conducting quality research, to provide models of effective practice, and to improve the use of instructional technology in education(OTIS/Office of Accountability and Research)====

(Harford County Technology Plan, 2009, pg 60)
||
 * ** Required supporting documentation (e.g. research data, inventories): ** Embedded in the pdf are black boxes that are comments recieved from the plan survey in 2008.

Here is an example...

//"Today’s teaching methods regarding technology have not changed in many years. Students need to be taught in a different manner more related to emerging technological advancements, and teachers need to be proficient in these skills."// The office is organized into five teams with specific functions to meet the mission of HCPS. (﻿Harford County Technology Plan, 2009, pg 19) || The Office of Technology continually evaluates improvement to the entire Harford County educational system through business driven performance evaluation. No other department interfaces with all aspects of the school system which provides unique insight to using this business approach in order to maximize support to students, teachers, administrators, staff, school board members, parents and community. This continuous improvement will provide consistent, standardized business processes throughout the entire system. (Harford County Technology Plan, 2009, p. 18) || The following terms are used to identify time frames of targets in the 2009 ‐ 2013 HCPS Technology Plan. || ‐ 36 months. ||
 * //(Stakeholder comment from HCPS Technology Plan Survey April 2008)//** //Structure of the Office of Technology//
 * **Evaluation Requirements for this plan**:
 * Current Status: Targets which are currently under way and/or continuous. ||
 * Core Initiatives: Targets that are identified as projects with anticipated initiation within the next 12 months. ||
 * Growth and Development Initiatives: Targets that are identified as projects with anticipated initiation within the next 12
 * Innovative Initiatives: Targets that are forward thinking beyond 36 months. ||


 * ** Reporting requirements for this plan: ** Under objective 2, this plan meets federal reporting requirements
 * Develop process and pilot


 * Implement and report


 * Report to MSDE yearly on progress toward meeting the goal

(Harford County Technology Plan, 2009, p. 35) || || **.** ||
 * Consider how best to integrate the reporting into the Master Plan proces ** s **
 * ** Revision cycle for this plan: ** This plan follows a 5 year strategic plan. 2009-2013   This five year strategic plan aligns with the Maryland State Bridge to Excellence Plan.
 * Current Status: Targets which are currently under way and/or continuous. ||
 * Core Initiatives: Targets that are identified as projects with anticipated initiation within the next 12 months. ||
 * Growth and Development Initiatives: Targets that are identified as projects with anticipated initiation within the next 12
 * ‐ 36 months.** ||
 * Innovative Initiatives: Targets that are forward thinking beyond 36 months. ||  ||
 * ** Funding sources to support this plan: ** The Bridge to Excellence for MD Public Schools which increased funding to improve student achievement (Maryland Educational Technology Plan for the New Millennium: 2007-2012, pg. 12). ||


 * ** Strengths ** ||  ** Weaknesses **  ||  ** Recommendations **  ||
 * * Aligns itself with the MD technology plan
 * Stakeholders include parents, students, teachers, and administrators || * Like the MD technology plan it waits 4-5 years to change the technology plan.
 * Many outcomes in the plan are geared toward the Technology Liaison position. This position is no longer an available position in HCPS. How will the department of technology account for this when they are reviewing the plan? || * With the ever changing world of technology, and budget within the county the plan should be updated yearly. The fact that many of the outcomes are to be completed and carried out by tech liaisons who are not longer in the county is a concern. There needs to be a revision as to who will be focusing on these indicators. ||

References