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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
DRAFT New York State Education Department February 2003 Context New York State's most recent prior Technology Plan was completed and published in 1992. In the following 10 years, there have been dramatic changes in educational and societal uses of information technologies. The need for an updated NYS educational technology plan to support equity in learning opportunities, learning climate, and learning outcomes was evident. Discussions to establish mission, vision and goals for technology integration began in early 2001 and involved representatives of stakeholder groups. These efforts resulted in a preliminary outline for a technology plan for the Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education (EMSC). A comprehensive technology plan for the University of the State of New York (USNY), currently under development, will include plans for the State's libraries, postsecondary institutions, and public broadcasting; when all plans are completed they will be interrelated and linked. In the interim, passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 has placed additional obligations and deadlines on States to update their technology plans in specific ways. This Technology Plan will be used to develop and implement technology acquisition and use directly affecting PK-12 students, teachers, administrators and parents. It establishes goals for students, teachers and other education professionals, school administrators, prospective teachers, parents and the New York State Education Department, and formulates objectives to help reach these goals at the State level, in schools, districts and BOCES, and in teacher and administrator preparation programs. Vision High quality learning technologies will be available in all of New York State’s classrooms. Learning technologies will be widely and equitably used in every school building in New York State to support the engagement of students, teachers, administrators, parents and the community in helping all students to achieve high standards. Educational technology applications will deepen student engagement and improve student achievement by enabling them to access and analyze information, solve problems, collaborate with others, and communicate their thoughts and ideas. Effective use of learning technologies will allow students to become self-directed, self-motivated and lifelong learners. Teachers will increasingly be facilitators of student learning through proficient use of learning technologies. All teachers will receive intensive, job-embedded, ongoing professional development in integrating technology into curricula and instruction. Teachers will incorporate high quality information resources in their teaching strategies to address multiple learning styles, to motivate and engage students, and to support student exploration and growth. Learning technologies will be available to all teachers to support their own learning and professional development. Resources for teachers, available at any time and any place, will include:
Closing the Achievement Gap As our society progresses into a global economy increasingly dependent upon information, a critical component of education is equitable access to high quality learning technologies and information resources. Several of the areas identified by the New York State Board of Regents in "Key Strategies to Close the Gaps in Student Performance" (http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/nclb/nclb_keystrat.htm) can be supported by access to technology resources and the skills to effectively use these resources. New York State will continue to commit both policy initiatives and funding streams to ensure that students, teachers, administrators and parents throughout the State, particularly those in the State's high need/low resource districts and schools, have the connectivity, hardware, software, expertise and professional development they need to participate in high quality learning technology opportunities. Every student in the State will have the opportunity to access these critical information and learning resources, and to develop the skills they need to confidently use and integrate learning technologies to support their learning. Every teacher in the State will be prepared and able to integrate technology into their instructional strategies in ways that ensure students will become self-directed learners, productive members of the workforce, and contributing citizens. Every administrator in the State will support teacher access to, and use of, learning technologies by decisions that support equitable resource allocation; high quality, sustained professional development for all teachers; and equitable application of high quality learning technologies in all classrooms. High Student Achievement Information technologies make it possible to overcome geographical isolation, physical barriers, and economic hardships. Students and their teachers can connect with scientists, writers, and other practitioners all over the world. Such technologies will enable students to interact with and explore the new places and subjects, bringing a wealth of information and experiences into the classroom and the school library media center. Through advances made in recent years by the library profession, educators and students can tap on-line databases of library-approved content to access text resources of greater breadth, depth, currency and quality than the Internet or textbooks offer. Students will learn critical thinking skills to evaluate the accuracy and quality of information postings on the Internet. Learning technologies will enable students to participate in processes of knowledge construction (i.e., conducting scientific inquiry, conducting historical investigation, creating musical compositions, etc.) in ways that foster authentic learning. Learning technologies will provide all students with tools and resources to master important skills and knowledge, including the New York State Learning Standards and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL)/AECT Information Literacy Skills, and to demonstrate the extent to which they have met those standards. Learning technologies will encourage student creativity and self-direction, and help students develop skills that prepare them for the workforce and for responsible citizenship in the nation and in the world. Quality Teachers, Administrators, and Staff Access to the Internet offers teachers and other education professionals an array of opportunities for professional development, educational research, and up-to-date curriculum resources. New York State's Virtual Learning Space (VLS), a web portal, when fully implemented will provide a statewide educational technology infrastructure that will give teachers, administrators, and staff one interface to access to a wide variety of information and tools. The VLS will provide an array of high quality classroom and professional development content and processes, keyed to the NYS Learning Standards. Curricula, lesson plans, student work, and assessment tools by grade level and subject area, on-line professional development opportunities, and communication tools that allow mentoring and sharing with colleagues will all be accessible through the VLS. Professional development applications now being piloted through the VLS provide a model for performance-based on-line learning. These applications, and those yet to be created, will provide another avenue for ensuring that teachers, paraprofessionals and other educators meet national standards (identified in Section 1119 and other areas of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) for highly qualified teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators. On-line applications will provide a way to assist educators in maintaining professional proficiencies throughout their careers, and meet New York State’s requirement that teachers receive 175 hours of professional development every 5 years. VLS will also provide rich content for districts, BOCES, higher education institutions, teacher centers, regional school support centers, and other providers and users of professional development. Technology will allow educators at all levels to have access to the appropriately secure level of student performance data that will allow them to track individual progress and mastery of skills and the conditions that might affect that progress. Through use of this high quality, data-driven environment, teachers and administrators will be supported in developing strategies, skills, and policies directly related to the learning needs of their students. Web-based applications can be used to recruit highly qualified teachers for the State’s high need/low resource schools. The opportunity provided by learning technologies for on-line or distance learning may also provide options for remote rural areas of the State, where shortages in some subject areas remain difficult to fill. Students and teachers in these regions can tap into coursework or mentoring relationships with teachers and professionals as one route to help ensure that those students have access to high quality teachers in all academic subjects. Use of technologies will enable teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators to work more productively, offering solutions for time management, student monitoring and intervention, and more interesting and effective lessons and classroom activities. Learning technologies can also be a support tool to reinvent schools, so that all students achieve more and are better prepared for the workplace, lifelong learning, and citizenship. Because technology opens doors to the world while simultaneously focusing students onto the task at hand, student interest and motivation is heightened. When students are motivated and successful, they tend to work harder and longer, in turn raising the possibility of higher student achievement. This success fosters a culture in which learning is the expectation and ultimate goal. Community and Family Technology is a powerful vehicle for communication and interaction with parents, families and community. Electronic mail, community-access television, and school and library resources electronically available throughout the community allow and encourage adult participation in a child's education. Parents can increase their involvement when education-related interactions are available at any time in the comfortable, familiar context of home or the local library. With technology, the school and its values of learning and achievement can enter every home in a community, thus enhancing and extending teaching and learning to every individual regardless of age or socioeconomic status. Parents will have the opportunity to access information about their children’s school, teachers, homework, or schoolwork; and will be able to access a wide range of direct student activities that can help them to assist their children at home. Exemplary models of electronic outreach to parents already exist, and will be made available through the VLS to assist schools and districts in implementing web applications that help them to engage parents as partners in supporting their children's learning. Web-based information resources will promote accountability, by making available to the community and to the public information about student, teacher, school and district performance. To ensure that all regions in the State are able to benefit from the exciting new tools to build learning communities through information technologies, the New York State Education Department will monitor out-of-school access to information technologies, and it will use that data in seeking support for legislative initiatives to address gaps in student access. It will continue to develop partnerships with appropriate stakeholders, to ensure that students and parents at every socioeconomic level have any time, any place access to high quality learning technology applications. Mission The New York State Education Department will collaborate with education stakeholders to develop, implement, maintain, and evaluate an educational technology infrastructure that provides teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other members of the education community with the technology resources needed to support all students in achieving high standards. Goals
Goals and Measurable Objectives In order to meet the goals of this Technology Plan, measurable objectives are specified for several stakeholders as appropriate to each organization or group’s area of responsibility. This section of the plan specifies objectives to be met by the New York State Education Department, Districts and Schools, and Teacher and School Administrator Preparation Programs. Goal 1: Every student will have the opportunity to use learning technologies to access and analyze information in ways that develop higher order thinking skills, increase their ability to use technology as a tool in solving problems, and support their confident use of the technology skills they will need for success in their future study and employment. State objectives 1.1 New York State Learning Standards will incorporate standards for technology literacy to ensure that every student, regardless of the student's race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability, will be technologically literate by the time he/she graduates from high school, including the skills needed for success in their future study and employment. 1.2 Linkages to national standards (ISTE, STAR, Milken, AASL/AECT Information Literacy Skills Standards, etc.), rubrics, resources and guides will be provided to support administrators and teachers in identifying the extent to which students meet high standards of technology literacy. 1.3 State and Federal technology funding streams will be aligned with other State efforts to support the State's high need/low resource schools and districts in obtaining the fiscal resources they need to purchase, install and maintain up-to-date technology hardware and software. 1.4 New York State will support access to high quality coursework through the use of technology, particularly for those schools and districts that would not otherwise have access to such courses and curricula due to geographical isolation or insufficient resources, by developing standards and criteria for the delivery of on-line academic courses and curricula aligned with New York State Learning Standards. LEA objectives 1.4 LEAs will equitably allocate fiscal, staff and professional development resources to ensure that the acquisition, maintenance and use of high quality learning technologies support all students in achieving New York State technology standards. Goal 2: Every teacher and prospective teacher will meet technology competency standards that ensure their ability to use learning technologies effectively in supporting student achievement of the New York State Learning Standards. State objectives 2.1 Standards adopted for teacher certification and ongoing professional development (Commissioner's Regulations 52.21(b), and Part 80-3.6) will ensure that every teacher and prospective teacher is:
2.2 Linkages to national standards (ISTE, STAR, Milken, AASL/AECT Information Literacy Skills Standards, etc.), rubrics, resources and guides will be provided to support districts, schools, and teacher preparation programs in identifying the extent to which teachers meet high standards of competency in integrating learning technologies into curriculum and instruction. 2.3 Technical assistance will be provided to high need/low resource districts to support districts and schools in identifying the extent to which teachers meet high standards of competency in integrating learning technologies into curriculum and instruction. 2.4 Guidance will be provided to support districts and schools in incorporating professional development activities that support teacher achievement of technology standards (2.1 and 2.2 above) in the required Professional Development Plan. 2.5 Access to high quality professional development will be available over time to every teacher and prospective teacher through the VLS, including but not limited to: a) examples of best practices; b) high quality content; c) curricula, assessments, and student work aligned with New York State Learning Standards; d) the opportunity to interact with colleagues in a variety of virtual relationships; and e) other aspects of ongoing professional development. 2.6 High quality professional development opportunities available on the VLS will support teachers in meeting Commissioner's Regulation Part 80-3.6, which requires 175 hours of professional development every 5 years. 2.7 Access to the appropriate level of user-friendly, secure disaggregated student achievement data, and to appropriate other teaching and learning data at the individual, classroom, school, district, and statewide levels, will be available to all teachers, administrators, prospective teachers and teacher preparation program faculty. 2.8 State and Federal professional development funding streams will be aligned with other State efforts to support teachers in the State's high need/low resource schools and districts in obtaining the professional development they need to meet the teacher technology standards adopted under 2.1 and 2.2 above. 2.9 State competitive grant programs will be used to leverage changes in teacher preparation programs that ensure higher education faculty have the technology skills they will need to model and prepare prospective teachers to meet teacher technology standards. LEA objectives 2.10 LEAs will allocate sufficient professional development resources to ensure that all teachers are adequately supported with the resources and skills they need to confidently integrate high quality learning technologies into curricula and instruction. 2.11 LEA applications for technology funds will describe appropriate professional development activities for integrating technology into curricula and instruction through ongoing, sustained, intensive and high-quality professional development. 2.12 LEAs will develop appropriate processes and evaluation measures to ensure that all teachers meet the technology standards identified in 2.1 and 2.2 above. Teacher preparation program objectives 2.13 Every teacher preparation program in the State will provide prospective teachers with adequate instruction, including modeling, in integrating technology into the delivery of PreK-12 curricula and instruction, to ensure that all graduates will be capable of meeting teacher technology standards identified in 2.1 and 2.2 above. Goal 3. Every administrator and prospective administrator will be technologically literate; will provide leadership in integrating technology into curricula, instruction, and student learning activities; and will have access to technology resources that support them in developing management systems and in creating a school climate and culture that results in high student achievement for all population groups. State objectives 3.1 Linkages to national standards (ISTE, STAR, Milken, AASL/AECT Information Literacy Skills Standards, etc.), rubrics, resources and guides will be provided to support districts, schools, and administrator preparation programs in identifying the extent to which administrators meet high standards of technology literacy, including competency in integrating learning technologies into curricula and instruction. 3.2 Technical assistance will be provided to high need/low resource districts to support districts and schools in identifying the extent to which teachers and administrators meet standards of technology literacy, including competency in integrating learning technologies into curriculum and instruction. 3.3 Guidance will be provided to support districts and schools in incorporating professional development activities that support teacher and administrator technology literacy in the required Professional Development Plan. 3.4 Access to high quality professional development will be available to every administrator and prospective administrator through the VLS, including but not limited to: a) examples of best practices; b) high quality content; c) curricula, assessments, and student work aligned with New York State Learning Standards; d) the opportunity to interact with colleagues in virtual mentoring relationships; e) management support systems; and f) other aspects of ongoing professional development. 3.5 Access to integrated, on-line reporting and data file systems will be supported, developed, and provided to every school building. 3.6 Access to the appropriate level of user-friendly, secure disaggregated student achievement data, and to appropriate other teaching and learning data at the individual, classroom, school, district, and statewide levels, will be available to all teachers, administrators, prospective teachers and teacher preparation program faculty. 3.7 State and Federal professional development funding streams will be aligned with other State efforts to support administrators in the State's high need/low resource schools and districts in obtaining the hardware, software, data, and professional development they need to meet student and teacher technology standards identified in 1.1, 2.1, and 2.2. 3.8 State competitive grant programs will be used to leverage changes in administrator preparation programs that ensure higher education faculty have the technology skills they will need to model and prepare current and prospective administrators to support school-wide technology literacy. 3.9 Grants received by New York State (such as the Gates Leadership grant) will be used to ensure that administrators receive the professional development they need to provide leadership in instructional uses of technology. LEA objectives 3.10 LEAs will allocate sufficient professional development resources to ensure that all teachers are adequately supported with the resources and skills they need to confidently integrate high quality learning technologies into curriculum and instruction. 3.11 LEA applications for technology funds will describe appropriate professional development activities for integrating technology into curricula and instruction through ongoing, sustained, intensive and high-quality professional development. 3.12 LEAs will develop appropriate processes and evaluation measures to ensure that all students and teachers meet the technology standards identified in 1.1, 2.1 and 2.2 above. 3.13 LEAs will use student and other local teaching and learning data to inform curricula and instruction.
Administrator Preparation Program objectives 3.14 Every administrator preparation program in the State will provide prospective administrators with adequate instruction, including modeling, in a) using data, b) integrating technology into management systems, and c) the delivery of PreK-12 curricula and instruction, to ensure that all graduate administrators are technologically literate and capable of fostering a school climate and culture that assists students and teachers in meeting technology standards identified in 1.1, 2.1 and 2.2 above. Goal 4: In order to support parents in monitoring and reinforcing the instruction their child receives at school, parents will have the opportunity to access web-based information about their children’s learning environment, climate, and outcomes, as well as a wide range of student activities that can help them to assist their children at home. State objectives 4.1 Examples of exemplary models of electronic outreach to parents, and guidance in establishing school-parent-community web applications, will be made available to LEAs. 4.2 Teacher quality and credentialing information will be readily available to the public. 4.3 Activities parents can use at home to reinforce their children’s learning will be provided through the VLS. 4.4 NYSED will develop strategies (such as providing guidance to parent organizations, schools and libraries) to make parents aware of the VLS and how to access it. 4.5 Technical assistance will be provided to the State’s highest need districts and buildings in developing electronic applications for school-parent-community communications. 4.6 New York State will monitor data regarding home access to information technologies; and will take appropriate action, such as seeking support for legislative initiatives and development of community-school-business partnerships, to ensure that students and parents at every socioeconomic level have any time, any place access to high quality learning technology applications. LEA objectives 4.7 District technology plans will incorporate plans to engage parents through the development of electronic school-parent-community communications mechanisms, including the provision of such information as students’ course-taking options, curriculum, assignments, learning standards and assessments, teacher credentials, and other factors that impact children’s learning opportunities, learning climate, and learning outcomes. Goal 5: Every district will develop, implement, and evaluate a plan for technology use that a) supports the achievement of high performance standards, including those for technology literacy, by all students, teachers, and other education professionals; b) includes Federally mandated protection from inappropriate materials; and c) ensures that every school library media center is an electronic doorway library with Internet access, library and other electronic content, and training in the use of technology. State objectives 5.1 Linkages to national standards (ISTE, STAR, Milken, AASL/AECT Information Literacy Skills Standards, etc.), rubrics, resources and guides will be provided to support districts, schools and BOCES in planning for meeting high technology competency standards for students, teachers and administrators. 5.2 Technical assistance will be provided to high need/low resource districts to support districts and schools in developing plans to meet local needs for improving student achievement and providing effective teacher and administrator professional development. 5.3 Tools will be provided and disseminated, and technical assistance provided, to guide LEAs in developing a technology plan that supports school and district achievement of State technology standards. 5.4 Guidance will be provided to assist LEAs in acquiring technology compatible with the achievement of the State's technology goals for all education stakeholders. 5.5 NYSED will provide guidance on ways to coordinate technology planning with other required plans. 5.6 NYSED will support and develop regional approaches to technology planning and utilization (e.g., the participation of Regional Information Centers in e-rate application review). 5.7 NYSED will encourage and support districts in the integration of management, finance, and instructional data systems to improve student achievement. 5.8 Technical assistance will be provided, through SED’s Division of Library Development, to assist all school library media programs in achieving electronic doorway library status. LEA objectives 5.9 In accordance with NCLB Section 2414, each local educational agency applying for funds under this Act will submit to the State an updated local long-range strategic educational technology plan consistent with the objectives of the statewide educational technology plan. 5.10 Districts and BOCES will collaborate to ensure that district technology plans are consistent with Chapter 793 plans. 5.11 District technology plans will be based on a needs assessment that a) incorporates disaggregated data; b) is focused on ensuring that all students have the opportunity to meet New York State technology standards identified in 1.1. above; and c) involves classroom teachers and school library media specialists in the development of such plans. 5.12 District technology plans will demonstrate how planned technology uses will support all students in achieving New York State technology standards. 5.13 District professional development in integrating technologies into curriculum and instruction will be high quality, intensive and sustained. 5.14 District technology plans will ensure that allocation of technology resources, including software and hardware acquisition and maintenance, and teacher and administrator professional development, is focused on any high need/low resource schools within that district. 5.15 District technology plans will focus on providing equitable technology access for all students for the purposes of a) ensuring equity in students’ learning opportunities, climate and outcomes, and b) eliminating discrepancies between buildings and population groups. 5.16 District technology plans will have in place a policy of Internet safety for minors that includes the operation of a technology protection measure for any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors; and will ensure that such technology protection is enforced during any use of such computers by minors. Further, similar protection against visual depictions that are obscene, or child pornography, must be ensured for such computers even when used by adults. 5.17 District technology plans will include strategies to ensure that all school library media programs achieve electronic doorway library status. Goal 6: The State of New York will seek ongoing input, feedback and assistance from representatives of all sectors of the education community (PreK-adult school teachers and administrators, postsecondary teacher preparation program faculty, parents, students, and community members/business partners) to collaboratively develop, implement, evaluate, and revise the educational technology plan for New York State, to continue to build educational technology capacity, and to ensure the most relevant and highest possible quality of support for all members of the teaching and learning community. State objectives 6.1 New York State will continue to work with previously established committee(s) to seek recommendations and implementation support for meeting NYS technology goals under this framework. 6 2 New York State will utilize the State’s web site to widely solicit stakeholder concerns and recommendations regarding implementation, evaluation and revision of this framework. 6.3 New York State will work with stakeholder groups and committees to establish and maintain public/private partnerships, including collaborative programs between high need urban districts and better-resourced districts, that support high need/low resource LEAs in meeting the goals of this framework. 6.4 New York State will conduct ongoing statewide evaluation regarding the implementation of this framework, revise it as appropriate, and widely disseminate the progress by all stakeholders in meeting NYS technology goals. Goal 7: The State of New York will support equitable access to high-quality learning technologies in the State's high need/low resource districts and schools to ensure that teachers, administrators, students and families have equitable access to high-speed connectivity, up-to-date hardware and software, and intensive and ongoing professional development to support high quality use of learning technologies. State objectives 7.1 New York State Education Department will continue to provide advocacy to the NYS Legislature on behalf of the State's high need/low resource districts and schools, both for continued technology funding allocations that support upgrades to current technologies, and for weighted formulas that support equitable access and use. [The NYS Legislature currently provides aid to schools for computer hardware (under Education Law 3602 subsection 26, $27M in 2002-03), computer software ($45M in 2002-03), building aid for computer technology, and aid for instructional and management computer technology services through BOCES. Current aid formulas are equalized on the basis of fiscal capacity, providing a higher ratio of funding to those districts with fewer resources.] 7.2 New York State Education Department will analyze data from schools to identify discrepant resources in connectivity, hardware and software. Based on this analysis, the State Education Department will seek legislative action to further support those schools and districts lagging significantly behind high-resource schools with targeted funds to ensure their ability to fully participate in high-quality learning technology applications. 7.3 New York State will monitor data regarding the digital divide in New York State, including home access to information technologies; and will take appropriate action, such as seeking support for legislative initiatives and development of community-school-business partnerships, to support anytime, any place access to such technologies by all educational community members at every socioeconomic level. 7.4 New York State will continue to work with public television and private industry to ensure that all schools can access high-speed learning technology applications. 7.5 New York State will focus State and Federal discretionary funding streams, including competitive grant programs, to support teachers, administrators, students and families in the State's high need/low resource districts and schools. Such resources will be used (as appropriate under each funding source) to obtain the hardware, software, maintenance, connectivity and professional development necessary to ensure that students and teachers in these districts and schools share equitable access to high quality learning technologies.
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