School Renovation Technology Grant
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
1
Part I: How New Hardware Supports Implementation of the Technology
2
Plan:
3
Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVCUSD) is Orange County’s fourth
4
largest school district, serving more than 35,000 students in 37 schools with
5
an attendance area spanning 95 square miles.
6
A.1. Technology Plan Goals for Hardware: Describe how any new equipment for
7
grades 4-8 will be used to support the goals in the existing technology plan.
8
SVUSD’s Technology Plan is presently being updated, and the E-rate plan is
9
current but expires next year. Both these older plans and the one under
10
development presently suggest that technology access must be equitable across
11
the classrooms, media centers and labs throughout the District, including
12
special education, GATE, English Language Learners and extended education
13
program such as ROP and Independent study. The current district wide ratio
14
for equipment is 4.7 students to one computer, and the ratio for 4-8
15
classrooms averages about 9.3 to 1 and ranges from one site with ratio of 24
16
students to 1 computer to a school site with the ratio of 5 students to 1
17
computer. Funds from SRTG will allow SVUSD to address these inequities in a
18
year with significant budgetary constraints. Without STRG funding, it is
19
unlikely that SVUSD will be able to secure hardware for the 14 schools that are
20
eligible under this program.
21
Plan Goals: The plan under development has adopted the following
22
multifaceted student goal:
23
Students will use technology
24

as a tool to improve learning
25

to meet and exceed state and national technology and curriculum
standards
26
27

to research and organize information
28

to become discerning researchers who can validate information and
resources
29
30

to present and publish reports
31

to collaborate with distant peers to create projects
32

to achieve the standards set forth in the technology skills continuum.
33
In order to reach these goals in grades 4 – 8, SVUSD will ensure that every
34
learning location provides both adequate hardware and electronic resources.
35
Every classroom was cabled during the summer of 1999 with six drops per
1
School Renovation Technology Grant
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
1
classroom. Very few classrooms at these grade levels have been able to take full
2
advantage of these drops because there is no budget to purchase needed
3
hardware.
4
A.2. Technology Plan Goals for Curriculum: State how the new equipment will be
5
used to help meet specific Curriculum goals in the tech plan.
6
New systems from the SRTG funding will allow teachers to expand the use of
7
such standards-based software as Reading Counts, Scholastic Reading
8
Inventory and Accelerated Math. Our software for middle school students also
9
includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Appleworks. Teachers use
10
adapter/presentation systems for the TV's in their classrooms. SVUSD staff
11
has written lessons called Technology Replacement Lessons for 4-8th grades.
12
These lessons integrate the above applications with SVUSD’s standards based
13
core curriculum. The Replacement Lessons have been so well received that the
14
Orange County Department of Education has purchased them and is
15
distributing them county wide as a support for content standards and learning
16
goals in Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science. LCD projectors and
17
other peripherals are used in middle schools to enhance lesson delivery and
18
development, particularly in science, where probeware and simulations are
19
used to extend lessons. Students will develop projects that use technology
20
resources to demonstrate their learning. .
21
Greater per-student access will also help expand the use of the District’s
22
virtual classroom space called “SaddleSites” which is available for every teacher
23
and widely used in the secondary school programs. When fully implemented in
24
grades 4-8, as called for in the SVUSD Technology Plan, it will provide a
25
foundation for staff, student and parent interaction, for dissemination of
26
professional development resources and peer collaboration, and for classroom
27
and student web page development. A goal in the SVUSD Technology Plan
28
under development is to “ensure that all students can and will utilize
29
technology to improve reading, language arts and math and meet the highest
30
state and local standards under the guidance of skilled and technologically
31
proficient teachers.” With the new computers, students will be able to access
32
content specific websites and enrichment programs to support content goals
33
within the classroom, and teachers will have access to a rich array of electronic
2
School Renovation Technology Grant
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
1
and Internet-based resources that enhance lessons and provide assessment
2
information that is individualized for every student.
3
The SVUSD Board of Education will hold a public hearing on October --------,
4
2002 for the purpose of hearing comments from the public regarding the
5
narrative section of the School Renovation Technology Grant application. Prior
6
to the hearing, the document was available for public review at all school and
7
District sites. In addition, a lengthy calendar of meetings for the development of
8
the new Technology Plan is on file. Both the grant application and the Tech
9
Plan will be posted on the District Website, along with any public comments
10
received. At this time, no comments have been received.
11
B. Oversight of Hardware Installation
What Will
Who
Timeline/
Be Done
(Role/Title)
Completion
Monitoring
Action
(Activity)
Ordering
Acquisition
Directed by:
Kim
Mike
Tony Ignoffo,
Thornton
Morrison,
Assistant
Technology
Technology
Sup. of
Puchasing
Specialist
Instruction
School Site
Mike
Principal
Morrison,
Bob
April 2003
May 2003
Kawalcyk,
Installation
Corrective
Warehouse
Technology
Supervisor
Specialist
School Site
May, June
School Site
Mike
Technology
2003
Principal
Morrison,
Coordinator
Technology
Specialist
12
13
c. Connecting the new computers to the Internet in currently connected 4th-8th
14
grade classrooms.
15
Current Connectivity: All 4-8 sites and classrooms are connected to the
16
Internet through a central T-1 line to the District with 6 drops per classroom
17
using a combination of fiber and Cat. 5 wiring as specified in the Tech Plan
18
which is being updated now. The District has recently installed a T-3 line to
19
that runs to the Orange County Department of Education to ensure that all
3
School Renovation Technology Grant
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
1
classrooms have needed speed and broadband capacity. Active Internet
2
connections are in place in every 4th-8th classroom. Teachers now access
3
Internet resources on the computer that serves staff and students in each
4
classroom, as well as from computer labs that are available at every campus.
5
SRTG funds are therefore not needed for Internet connectivity; rather they will
6
fund the needed hardware that allows each classroom to make efficient use of
7
the Internet drops. That project was completed district-wide, but the State
8
budget cuts eliminated the funding for additional computers and technical
9
support personnel. This increased access will allow 4-8 classroom teachers to
10
develop their own “SaddleSites” for web pages and home-school
11
communication, and allow in-class research and student multimedia projects
12
to support and promote effective teaching and enhanced learning.
13
e. Describe how the district will prepare or train teachers to integrate technology
14
into the curriculum in grades 4-8.
15
SVUSD’s goal for teacher training is tied to the CTAP2 assessment calling for
16
incremental growth in teacher personal and professional proficiency over the
17
next five years. The new SVUSD Technology Plan calls for teachers to be
18
trained by District specialists who are qualified as “certifiers,” and establishes a
19
trainer position for every site. All 4-8 sites now have a “Technology
20
Coordinator” who assists in defining training needs and supporting staff in new
21
learning and technical support. In addition, District and County sponsored
22
trainings are widely available, and designed to address the District goal of
23
ensuring that at least 80% of teachers integrate technology into their curricula,
24
and at least half use technology to make instructional decisions for students.
25
The District has purchased a web-based system to track assessment data for
26
every student, and training on this system is beginning this year. New
27
equipment at the 4-8th sites will ensure that teachers in these grade levels have
28
easy access to these tools to address specific learning needs of their students.
29
CTAP2 assessments are built into the site plans. This assessment will be used
30
to monitor progress and ensure relevant training opportunities. Federal Title II
31
part D will supplement teacher training. Current District goals for teacher
32
training, and related training underway or planned, are tied to SVUSD
33
Technology Plan, professional development objectives. These objectives are
4
School Renovation Technology Grant
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
1
geared to deliver training for teachers through a multitude of avenues. These
2
include technology specific classes sponsored by the District or the County,
3
online and virtual training through the District and County, video training
4
series, and on-site mentoring.
5
Part II. Monitoring and Evaluation:
6
Describe the process used to revise plans for hardware acquisition and
7
installation in the event the acquisition and/or installation is not proceeding as
8
planned.
9
The District Technology Specialist and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction,
10
monthly with site principals to monitor progress of technology installations,
11
trainings, and support needs. These sessions allow District staff an opportunity
12
to continually re-prioritize needs and deploy personnel. The Information
13
Services Department assists in this effort as well. This communication provides
14
seamless support to sites in all technology-related hardware acquisitions,
15
infrastructure concerns and installations. In addition, a Technology Council,
16
formed to revise the expiring Tech Plan, is being established as a ongoing group
17
to ensure Tech Plan “buy-in,” monitor progress, and assist in decision-making
18
regarding unforeseen problems and opportunities.
5