Technology Plan Cover Sheet
2013-2015 (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2015)
ORGANIZATION INFORMATION District/Agency/School (legal name):SAINT PAUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
District Number: 625
Technology Plan Status The District/Agency/School has an approved 2012 technology bridge plan:
Yes X No □ 2013-2015 Technology
Plan Date of Creation:
January - April 2012
IDENTIFIED OFFICIAL WITH AUTHORITY INFORMATION
Name MS. VALERIA SILVA
Title SUPERINTENDENT
Address 360 COLBORNE STREET
ST. PAUL, MN 55102
Phone Number & E-mail (651) 767-8152 [email protected]
TECHNOLOGY CONTACT INFORMATION
Name MR. IVAR NELSON
Title DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Address 1930 COMO AVENUE
ST. PAUL, MN 55108
2013-15 Technology Plan Template
Instructions: Use the format below to complete your responses.
1. Technology Needs Assessment: Describe the processes(s) used to determine the technology needs for the LEA for 2013-2015 and briefly summarize the needs that have been determined. Make sure to include any technology needs that will be supported through E-rate discounts, such as telephone, telecommunications access, Internet, and other E-rate eligible services.
The Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Strategic Plan for 2011-2014 titled Strong Schools,
Strong Communities focuses on "Schools at the Heart of the Community." The strategic
plan has three main goals: Achievement, Alignment, and Sustainability. All three goals focus on creating the conditions within Saint Paul Public Schools to transform learning by giving teachers access to an aligned curriculum, training, direction, and support to deliver quality instruction to every student; aligning resources within SPPS to provide equitable access for students and teachers; and creating changes that can be sustained in times of tight budgets.
The creation of the 2013-2015 Technology Plan provides Saint Paul Public Schools with an opportunity to closely examine the technology needs of the district through the lens of the strategic plan. The Information Technology Department gathered information from a variety of sources and sought input from district stakeholders to determine opportunities within the district to improve student achievement through the use of technology, while also ensuring that technology resources are aligned throughout the district, and any changes and purchases can be sustained.
Information sources and a list of identified needs are listed below:
Independent IT Audit -- Saint Paul Public Schools contracted with Mercer to conduct an independent audit of SPPS systems and current practices. The audit identified areas of strength and weakness within the IT Department, and provided recommendations in the areas of IT procurement, service, and training.
• Implement employee Self Service modules
• Implement technology training programs specific to user groups to improve data integrity, increase user adoption, and build technology proficiency.
• Establish procurement guidelines for technology purchases and require IT input prior to purchase requisition. Varying levels of technology available across the district and many schools do not understand the need to continually invest in new technology. "Purchasing decisions are being made in silos."
• Implement additional data entry and data security protocols to ensure the integrity, privacy, and security of student and employee information.
• Establish Service Level Agreements with internal stakeholders and communicate system uptime; call, issue and problem resolution.
• Investments in innovative technology must be linked to measurable and sustainable results / value creation.
Student Focus Groups, 2011 -- Student focus groups were conducted at Washington Middle School and Johnson High School in spring 2011 regarding teacher and student use of technology in Saint Paul Public Schools. Students identified the following needs:
• Provide access to tools that allow videoconferencing, chat, and screen sharing to work collaboratively.
• Provide more opportunities to work collaboratively using technology.
• Use technology to deliver tests/quizzes, and provide immediate feedback, which identifies why an answer was incorrect.
• Assess students via large creative projects rather than tests.
• Allow cell phone use in school so students can access calculators, browsers, apps, and other tools installed on their phones to facilitate learning.
• Teach students how to use computers as a research tool to conduct research and evaluate information.
Teacher Survey and Interviews, 2010 and 2011 -- Teachers who participated in the 2009-2010 High School Technology Integration Initiative funded by an Enhancing Education through Technology Grant, and the 1:1 Netbook Pilot at Harding High School in the 2010-2011 school year, completed an end of year survey and participated in focus groups. Teachers identified the following needs:
• Teachers need access to laptops, which provide anytime, anywhere access to resources, provide flexibility, and facilitate collaboration opportunities.
• Technology integration specialists in buildings are integral, and provide needed support for teachers just beginning to integrate technology.
• Professional development that builds technology proficiency and demonstrates methods for integrating technology into learning is critical.
• Equitable access to computer labs / technology is critical. In the teacher survey, 44% of respondents reported that they needed to sign up for lab / cart access 3-14 days in advance, and 38% of respondents reported the need to sign up for lab / cart access more than 14 days in advance. Online testing negatively impacts access to computer labs / carts.
Teacher and Administrator Focus Group, 2011 -- Teachers and district administrators from the following departments and programs participated in a focus group about an integrated technology plan in April 2011: Information Technology; Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development; Alternative Learning Programs; Special Education; English Language Learners (ELL); Communications, Marketing, and
Development; as well as, principals and teachers on special assignment (TOSAs) from a variety of elementary, middle school, high school, and alternative learning programs.
• Professional Development is critical to the successful implementation of new technology in the district.
• Schools need equitable access to technology resources, including infrastructure. Visioning Day 2012 -- Students, teachers, building and district administrators, as well as school board members met for one full day to discuss a vision for 21st century learning in Saint Paul Public Schools.
• Students report the need to "power down" during school.
• Need to integrate technology in all K-12 classrooms, and allow students to communicate, collaborate, and create with peers across the world.
• Need equitable access to technology and digital resources across the district. • Teachers need training and support to effectively integrate technology and any
new digital curriculum repositories or integrated learning platforms. Student Learning and Engagement through Integrated Technology Plan --The IT Department and Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development - Academic Innovation and Technology Integration Team developed the Student Learning
and Engagement through Integrated Technology Plan. This plan provides the focus for
technology integration and professional development in the district • Engage every learner in our district
• Provide individualized learning plans and practices • Provide learning landscapes without restrictions • Extend authentic learning beyond the classroom
MDE Technology Inventory Collection Tool -- The district completed the MDE Technology Inventory Collection Tool.
Network and Internet
The District network is comprised of 70 leased fiber connections to a fully-meshed cloud, which provides access to a switched LAN infrastructure for approximately 20,000 computing devices across the district. School LANs are wired and wireless and provide 100/1,000 Mbps connections to the device. The District has a leased 300 Mbps connection to the Internet. Due to the influx of personal devices on the network, and the increased demand for access to digital content, the District anticipates that it will need to
• Build wireless capacity to enable the use of personal devices on the SPPS network
• Increase bandwidth at all sites within the district Communications
The district provides email, cellular, long distance, telephone, and an emergency messaging system for outgoing communications. The district also provides the following internal communications systems:
• VOIP Telephones
• Email for all full time staff
The district plans to upgrade to a unified communication system. Computers
• Approximately 1/3 of all computers for student use will be out of compliance with district standards and will need to be replaced.
• Technology purchases are a building level purchasing decision under site-based management in SPPS. There is a need to educate principals and program administrators about a replacement cycle, and provide them with the tools to make fiscally sound technology purchases that take into account student learning objectives, district technology standards and specifications, and the technology inventory at their site.
Stakeholder Input -- Input was solicited from various departments within Operations, such as Security and Emergency Management; Facilities; and Transportation.
• Need to investigate, purchase, and implement a variety of enterprise systems to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and communication capabilities of district operations.
Ed Tech ARRA Final Program Evaluation Report (June 2011)
Student Focus Groups, Harding High School, 2011 -- Student participants in the Harding 1:1 Pilot during the 2010-2011 school year reported that computer access
• Allowed them to pursue individual questions via the Internet.
• Facilitated social interaction and collaboration outside the traditional school day.
• Allowed them to access class resources outside of the traditional school day via Moodle, SPPS Apps, and the pilot website.
Student Survey, Harding High School, 2011 -- Students who participated in the 1:1 Netbook Pilot at Harding High School during the 2010-2011 school year completed an end of year survey. Of the 169 students who completed the survey,
• 72% reported "having a laptop to use kept me more organized."
• 72% agreed with the statement, "Having a SCHOOL laptop to use made me more motivated to complete my assignments."
• 60% reported that they wanted to use the laptop more frequently in class. Based on student feedback, classroom observations, and analysis, the following needs were identified and recommended in the final evaluation report:
• Adopt and implement technology standards, such as the ISTE NETS for Students, Teachers, and Administrators.
• Embed the ISTE NETS*S into the K-12 curriculum
• Adopt, implement, and embed 21st Century Skills in the K-12 curriculum. • Provide additional opportunities for students to work collaboratively using
technology.
• Use Moodle, SPPS Apps, and additional technology tools to provide access to resources and extend learning beyond the traditional school day.
2. Goals and Strategies: List the specific goals and strategies for 2013-2015 that address how your LEA will use technology to deliver education and assist with school administration:
Engage and empower students to become ethical digital citizens and lifelong learners by providing access to rich digital content, technology, and learning experiences to extend learning beyond the traditional school day.
• Adopt and embed the ISTE NETS*S and 21st century skills in the K-12 curriculum across all content areas.
• Expand the use of digital media and digital learning experiences to meet students at their readiness level and accommodate personal learning styles.
• Expand the use of digital tools to develop communication, collaboration, critical thinking and research skills, while also developing information and media literacy skills.
• Provide anytime, anywhere access to content, resources, and information to customize learning through expanded online learning options delivered by a learning management system or integrated learning platform.
• Implement K-12 digital citizenship and Internet Safety curriculum.
Develop and deliver quality professional development opportunities for all SPPS employees to build technology proficiency; increase employee efficiency and effectiveness; and enable teachers to leverage technology to provide engaging learning experiences.
• Develop proficiency in core SPPS applications, such as Lotus Notes, SPPS Apps (Google Apps for Education), Moodle, Infinite Campus, and other applications and systems as they become available.
• Train and support teachers to use the digital curriculum repository so they may efficiently create customized learning experiences for students.
• Expand the use of TelePresence to deliver professional development within the district and connect to resources outside the district.
• Provide access to just-in-time training through technology.
• Utilize SPPS Apps and Moodle to facilitate communication, collaboration, and learning within and across Professional Learning Communities (PLC), schools and the district.
• Utilize building-level and district-level coaches to mentor and model effective technology integration.
• Develop and facilitate district and building-level user groups which focus on technology hardware, software /apps, and integrated learning to provide action research, evaluate resources, and develop best practices for integrated technology in SPPS.
• Utilize Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to focus on integrated learning in secondary classrooms.
Utilize technology to facilitate and improve reporting and communication capabilities across the district.
• Expand the use of the Parent Portal / Student Portal to communicate academic achievement information to students and families.
• Expand the use of TelePresence within the district.
• Utilize social media platforms to increase district communication with constituents.
• Implement School Performance Analytics to increase access to data and data reporting capabilities.
Develop, revise, align, and communicate standards, processes, and policies for technology use, evaluation, and procurement.
• Develop standards and practices for online courses.
• Develop and implement standards for digital asset review, including naming and tagging standards, for inclusion in the curriculum repository.
• Develop and update School Board Policies and Procedures for social media use, copyright, and acceptable use.
• Develop a process for cataloging copyright permissions for the curriculum repository.
• Evaluate the impact of technology hardware, software, and digital assets on academic achievement to inform future technology purchases.
• Develop and implement a technology purchase planning tool / process to assist principals and program managers with purchasing decisions that identify the student learning objectives first, and are aligned with district initiatives, meet district technical standards, demonstrate fiscal responsibility, and are sustainable. • Communicate technology use, evaluation, and procurement standards on a revised
Information Technology Department website and via The Bridge. Provide high quality infrastructure, service, and support in the delivery of technology products and services to enable and empower SPPS constituents.
• Develop a curriculum repository to provide teachers and students access to high quality digital assets.
• Develop and implement an integrated learning platform. • Improve Enterprise network infrastructure.
• Increase bandwidth at all sites.
• Implement unified communications system.
• Upgrade and implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for finance, HR, and procurement systems.
• Investigate, purchase, and implement a building automation system.
• Investigate, purchase, and implement integrator software for security cameras, fire alarms, security systems, and card access.
• Implement facilities management software (TRIRIGA) to house building plans, service requests, inventory, fleet management, project management, construction management, and environmental health and safety management plans.
• Implement School Performance Analytics/ Business Intelligence.
3. Professional Development Plan: Describe the professional development strategies you have in place for 2013-2015 to ensure LEA staff are prepared to use the technology infrastructure, software programs, and online resources provided:
Saint Paul Public Schools will use a combination of face-to-face instruction, fully online courses, and blended learning opportunities to provide all SPPS staff with access to quality professional development. Professional development opportunities will be aligned with the employee's role and job responsibilities within the district.
Teacher professional development will be focused on the area of technology integration and will build proficiency for use of existing technology and new technologies and enterprise systems as they become available. All professional development opportunities will be aligned with district initiatives and the Student Learning and Engagement through
Integrated Technology Plan; aligned with the implementation of the Common Core State
Standards, ISTE NETS*S, and the curriculum review process; and provide training and support for new technology and systems being implemented in the district. As
secondary schools move to a seven period day with time for professional learning communities (PLC) to meet during the school day, secondary PLCs will include an articulated focus on integrated learning. Professional development opportunities include, but are not limited to
• Developing an understanding of, and competency with, the ISTE NETS*S • Developing an understanding and use of current and emerging technologies and
electronic platforms that impact learning, such as SPPS Apps, Moodle, TelePresence, and Show and Share;
• Developing an understanding and use of personal electronic devices in the classroom;
• Creating and selecting effective digital assets.
Professional development opportunities for other employees will be aligned with job responsibilities and will focus on building technology proficiency for key SPPS systems, as well as providing training for the implementation of new systems.
Professional development activities and completion are recorded and communicated in PDExpress, the district professional development catalog.
4. Evaluation: Explain the evaluation process for your technology plan for 2013-2015, including timeline, roles and responsibilities, and information gathered to assess how the technology plan goals and strategies are being met.
The Saint Paul Public Schools will use the following measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology plan and make adjustments as needed:
Student Learning and Engagement will be evaluated by
• Reports from the Research and Evaluation Department's designed tools to identify the impact of student achievement and student engagement. (Research,
Evaluation and Assessment Department of SPPS)
• Outside evaluation team to review the impact of interface injection into learning environment at the end of 2013 and 2014. (To be determined)
• Feedback from a representative survey of SPPS students to be delivered during the 2013-2015 time period. (To be determined)
• Usage statistics from SPPS Apps, Moodle and /or Integrated Learning Platform, and Curriculum Repository collected monthly; communicated quarterly (joint responsibility of Academic Innovation and Technology Integration team and Information Technology Department)
Professional Development will be evaluated by
• Annual review of Visioning Cards in Professional Development, Academics, Operations, and Data (disaggregation of all of our assessment information) • Feedback from professional development evaluations to be delivered after
face-to-face training, online, and blended opportunities, as well as TelePresence learning opportunities.
• Usage statistics from SPPS Apps, Moodle and/or Integrated Learning Platform, and Curriculum Repository (joint responsibility of Academic Innovation and Technology Integration team and Information Technology Department)
Information Technology Infrastructure, Support, and Service will be evaluated by • Analysis of Service Tickets opened, resolved, and closed (IT Dept.)
• Analysis of Service Ticket Survey Results (IT Dept.)
• Annual Site-level Computer Inventory to determine age of hardware and compliance with District specifications and standards (IT Dept.)
5. Optional Links: Provide links to district strategic planning documents, survey instruments, policies, or other resources that were used to provide data and help prepare the technology plan.
http://connect.spps.org/tech_planning_documents.html
6. Link to Current Technology Plan: Provide the link on the LEA website where the technology plan will be posted and updated throughout the planning period.
http://connect.spps.org/technology_plan.html
7. Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
Yes
If yes, please provide a link to access the policy at the LEA website.
http://connect.spps.org/acceptable_use.html
This school district deploys an Internet filter to protect minors from material that is pornographic or otherwise harmful to them.
