Better Teaching, Learning and Collaboration (TLC) through Techonology

According to my district's technology plan, it is composed of strategies and activities that will guide the district for the next 3-5 years.  The district's plan is based on the philosophy that educational technology must be used to support instruction to prepare students for the 21st century.     

Goals

• To advance and support the educational goals of the District by providing a technology rich, integrated environment for all learners.
• To facilitate and support anywhere, anytime learning for all through personal access appliances, enhanced communication tools and integrated data systems.
• To improve and support communication among and between all community stakeholders including administrators, staff, teachers, students and parents. 
• To facilitate and support just-in-time data driven decisions processes through integrated information systems with meaningful intuitive and consistent tools. 

 The district provides opportunities for professional development during school, after school and summer time.  The focus of the trainings are to find ways to utilize technology in standards based lessons.   We have full time professional development personnel, Technology Teachers on Special Assignments (Tech TOSAs) who provide trainings on software, implementation, and integration of technology into the classroom.  HLP also participates with Cal Poly, Pomona and the East San Gabriel Valley Educational Consortium in a professional development program called the TEAMatrx.  This program helps teachers develop lessons that meet three requirements:

• Integrate technology
• Address state and district standards (content and technology)
• Use data to modify instruction

 HLPUSD participates in site based decision making, decisions are made by  a Leadership Team or School Site Council.  Schools are allotted money from the general fund to spend on the schools needs and focus areas.  Schools also have funds available from federal and state categorical funds which can be used for hardware, software and upgrade purchases.   

A variety of assessments are used to determine the level of technology used over a time period.  These tools include an annual online state technology survey, an online teacher proficiency assessment and technology use survey, a district created survey, and a district created teacher technology needs survey.  To measure students at the K-5 level, they will examine the percentage of students who have attained grade level content standards and the technology standards are reported on the standards based report card.  At the secondary level they will use the technology benchmark assessment results and the number of students passing the computer literacy graduation requirement.