Week 5 Innovative Leadership

 Week 5

Internet access is not included in my plan because my district currently has devices and internet for all students. We address this issue by providing hotspots to students who do not have internet at home and trying to limit homework assignments that do require internet. We are instructed to have students download all materials needed before they leave school, just in case. 

ISTE (2018) and Crossland et al (2018) both support my technology integration plan (TIP). ISTE (2018) Informs the reader how ESSA funds can be provided and one of those ways is, "Effective Use of Technology." Under this branch includes professional development and collaboration. Much of my TIP is focused on how our district can utilize our current professional development structure and coaching cycles to address the design divide. The ED Guidance allows these funds to be used for ongoing professional development specifically focused on blended learning and teachers gaining credentials. This aligns with my plan because instead of focusing on a one-time PD session, PD is going to be weekly and included coaching cycles to make sure there is carry over into the classroom. These funds can help pay for trainings and resources which will provide guidance on technology integration. Crossland et al (2018) mentions how UDL is related to ESSA and making sure technology is accessible for all. In my plan, UDL is present because by having properly trained teachers, they can create lessons that are accessible for all students. This includes creating digital portfolios, giving student choice on how to showcase their work, and acknowledging students learn in a variety of ways so providing multiple means of materials. 

Funding options to support my technology integration plan are State Foundation Aid, Instructional Support State Aid, and Title 1 Grants. Currently our district receives 24 million in State Foundation Aid, 72 thousand from Instruction Support Aid, and 365 thousand in Title 1 Grants. In the references, there is a link to the district budget. Another grant opportunity is the Dubuque Racing Association Mission Grant. This grant can be a multiple year grant for between $50,000-$100,000. The purpose of this grant is to build capacity in your community or organization. One of the areas the grant focuses on is professional development for staff. This grant is due by May 5th, and needs to be submitted by the district office on behalf of the entire school district. This is a good fit for funding the professional development aligned with the district's TIP. This money can be used to train teachers on the Triple E in order to address the design divide. In the references, there is a link to the DRA website about the grant.  

Talking to district administrators and technology department, I was not able to get a clear budget for technology in the district. Looking at the budgets, it is also not broken down into a specific category. They said the technology budget is in the "Student Support Services" category. This budget is almost two million dollars for the district. However, that money goes a lot of places, not just technology. I will continue to ask and see if I can get a more clear idea of the actual budget in regards to technology. 

References

Budget 

Crossland, A., Gray, T., and Reynold, J. (2018). ESSA and digital learning: Closing the digital accessibility gap. American Institute for Research. 

Dubuque Racing Association Grant

Office of Educational Technology. (n.d.). Funding digital learning. Retrieved from: https://tech.ed.gov/funding/ 

Comments

  1. Melody McCartyApril 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM

    Thanks for sharing all of this—your plan is super thorough! I really like how you're using existing resources, like hotspots and download strategies, to make sure students aren’t left behind without internet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. KevinApril 18, 2025 at 9:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. KevinApril 18, 2025 at 9:42 PM

    Hey Claire,

    I'm looking forward to reading your completed TIP. The school I'm currently at also doesn't have much of an issue with accessibility so my plan also focused primarily on teacher training. I'm interested to see the differences and similarities between our plans!

    - Kevin Moore

    ReplyDelete

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