The Round Rock ISD Technology Plan 2011-2014 is a comprehensive plan that structures the technology needs of the district around the four key areas aligned with the STaR Chart: Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Administrative Support and Services and Infrastructure for Technology. RRISD has identified nine goals that focus on the integration of technology and the methods to sustain the technology infrastructure. These goals can be grouped into three main areas: Teaching and Learning, Infrastructure and Communication.
The Teaching and Learning goals are the majority of the plan and focus on increasing student achievement, technology integration, professional development, and student-centered learning. A focus has been placed on more online content to meet the needs of students and staff in these goals. Using resources like Project Share can bring in experts to the district to meet the needs of the learners. Also utilizing in house resources to continue to offer on-going, as-needed training to staff is important. Also important in this area is the need to develop or increase the accountability level of technology integration. Students are tested in 8th grade on their literacy skills, but this plan also includes creating portfolios and more opportunities for students to use more and varied types of technology as needed. Teachers’ accountability would increase with lessons being shared and campuses working to address areas of need as identified in the STaR chart.
The RRISD Infrastructure is addressed by outlining the need to continue to purchase and maintain technology on each campus and keeping the infrastructure equitable on all campuses and in all parts of the district. To oversee the process a plan to develop a district technology advisory committee is mentioned several times. Also needed is expansion of the current wireless system and upgrades for the hardware that runs the network. The details of where the funding is to come from are rather vague, reflecting the uncertainty in the entire budget process at this time. What is mentioned is the prudent use of current funds and the application for outside grants and to the e-Rate program.
Effective communication is also identified in the RRISD goals. District, campus and teacher websites need to be improved for content and delivery of information as they provide one of the first places the community turns to to get information. Parental access to their student’s information is also addressed as parents have come to count on learning about attendance, grades, and lunch accounts on-demand and in real-time. Other means of improving communication includes use of the district’s cable channel and partnerships with local cable companies.
After reading through the district plan I can see a clear path for Round Rock technology through the next three years. This plan will take hard work to implement and maintain, but the ideas outlined will benefit all stakeholders of RRISD. Now it is time to roll up our sleeves and get to work making this plan a reality.
Round Rock ISD Technology Plan 2011-2014. (2011, March 30). Round Rock ITS. Retrieved April 21, 2011, from rrisd-its.wikispaces.com/file/view/long-range%20technology%20report%202011-14%20final.pdf
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