Accountability
This element addresses the value of technology to teaching and learning environments, and K-12 student data management and decision support. It includes the assessment of technology literacy among Virginia's public school students, instructional personnel, and support staff.
Note: All Goals and Targets below are from the 2003-2009 Educational Technology Plan for Virginia.
Goal 1 • Assess the value that information technology (IT) adds to teaching and learning environments.
Targets
1. Identify elements of technology integration that benefit the teaching and learning environment.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- RCPS has identified multimedia carts as providing a marked benefit to the teaching and learning environment. RCPS has designed, purchased, and assembled multimedia carts (consisting of a projection system, laptop, speakers, DVD-VHS player, and power strip) which are specifically designed for the RCPS network.
- RCPS has outfitted each high school's Lecture Room as a technology-integration room complete with ceiling mounted projection system, sound system, networked desktop computer, etc.
- Many classrooms have been retrofitted to include ceiling mounted projectors, interactive whiteboards, sound systems, and document cameras
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will continue to encoporate up-to-date technology in the design of all new buildings and building additions including ceiling mounted projectors, interactive whiteboards, sound systems, and document cameras
- RCPS will retrofit all existing classrooms to have the same technologies in them as with new construction
- RCPS will expand the technology opportunities for teachers and students by purchasing additional multimedia carts (described above), ceiling mounted projection systems, and wireless technologies.
- ITRT staff will provide regular and highly skilled assistance to teachers and sudents for technology integration including one-on-one assistance, group inservices, and "road shows" to each school.
2. Readiness to integrate technology into teaching and learning has been assessed for each school.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- All schools participated in the TAGLIT survey which involved an assessment of the readiness to integrate technology into teaching and learning.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- Schools' Technology Committees will make recommendations to the Principal and the Director of Technology for needed technology.
3. Instructional technology integration has been assessed in schools and classrooms.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- All schools participated in the TAGLIT survey which involved an assessment of the integration of technology into teaching and learning.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- Schools' Technology Committees will make recommendations to the Principal and the Director of Technology for needed technology.
- ITRT staff will provide regular and highly skilled assistance to teachers and sudents for technology integration including one-on-one assistance, group inservices, and "road shows" to each school.
4. Technology-rich environments and effective technology-based instructional strategies support student learning.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- RCPS SOL scores have improved steadily since 1998 (all schools fully accredited). Simultaneously, the availability of technology resources since 1998 has increased markedly, though it would be unfair to claim that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between these two events.
- Administrators, teachers and students all credit specific RCPS initiatives such as the Read 180 program, the RCPS website with over 15,000 practice SOL questions, and the SkillsTutor program as contributing significantly to the improvement in SOL scores.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will continue to provide and update resources such as the Read 180 program, the RCPS website with over 15,000 practice SOL questions, and the SkillsTutor program.
Goal 2 • Provide appropriate decision support capabilities for all stakeholders.
Targets
1. Information systems provide comprehensive information about student learning progress.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- RCPS uses SASIxp to provide comprehensive information about student learning progress.
- RCPS staff members have developed numerous queries for SASIxp in order to efficiently extract data about student learning progress.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS is planning on replacing its SASIxp student information system (SIS) with an online system with more features and availability of information to teachers and the public.
- RCPS staff members will continue to develop queries for its SIS in order to efficiently extract data about student learning progress.
- RCPS will continue to train administrators and staff in SIS specific skills including sessions at the annual RCPS Administrative Inservice and local inservices.
- Teachers will be trained in SIS specific skills including sessions at the RCPS Summer Technology Academy, New Teacher Orientation, and local inservices.
2. Information systems interface to provide staff members the ability to use appropriate and effective data to make decisions.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- RCPS uses SASIxp to provide data to staff members so that data-driven decisions can be made.
- RCPS staff members have developed numerous queries for SASIxp in order to efficiently extract data for decision-making.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS is planning on replacing its SASIxp student information system (SIS) with an online system with more features and availability of information to teachers and the public.
- RCPS staff members will continue to develop queries for its SIS in order to efficiently extract data about student learning progress.
- RCPS will continue to train administrators and staff in SIS specific skills including sessions at the annual RCPS Administrative Inservice and local inservices.
- Teachers will be trained in SIS specific skills including sessions at the RCPS Summer Technology Academy, New Teacher Orientation, and local inservices.
Goal 3 • Assess information technology (IT) literacy.
Targets
1. All students are technology literate.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- All eighth graders' technology skills are assessed with an online SOL test developed by the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium.
- No other technology assessments are currently given, county-wide, in RCPS.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will continue to assess technology skills with an online SOL test developed by the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium.
- RCPS will begin assessing fifth graders' technology skills with a locally developed online SOL test.
- Technology literacy is not enough in today's world; technology fluency is the goal for all students in Rockingham County Public Schools.
2. All instructional personnel are technology literate.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- All RCPS teachers/administrators have completed the RCPS requirements to certify that they possess the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel.
- One hundred seventy two RCPS teachers have gone well above the TSIP and achieved NETS*T certification through the process outlined by the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium Ed-Tech grant.
- RCPS has provided tuition-free, graduate level coursework for as many as 100 teachers per year, funded by the No Child Left Behind Educational Technology grants, both formula and the SVTC Ed-Tech grants.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- All newly hired teachers/administrators will complete TSIP requirements.
- RCPS will continue to provide tuition-free, graduate level coursework for as many as 50 teachers per year, funded by the No Child Left Behind Educational Technology grants, both formula and the SVTC Ed-Tech grants.
- RCPS will continue to provide support for additional teachers to achieve NETS*T certification through the process outlined by the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium.
- RCPS will continue to provide tuition-free, graduate level coursework for as many as 100 teachers per year, funded by the No Child Left Behind Educational Technology grants, both formula and the SVTC Ed-Tech grants. The first priority for admittance to these classes will be teachers who have not certified their TSIP.
- Technology literacy is not enough in today's world; technology fluency is the goal for all instructional personnel in Rockingham County Public Schools.
3. All paraprofessionals and support staff are technology literate.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- All paraprofessionals and support staff receiving training at the RCPS Summer Technology Academy and at various workshops scheduled throughout the school year.
- RCPS maintains a training lab at the Central Office which is used by all instructional personnel and support staff, including paraprofessionals.
- All new paraprofessional and support staff employees receive training on the RCPS network including FirstClass e-mail.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will continue to train paraprofessional and support staff employees on the RCPS network including FirstClass e-mail.
- Technology literacy is not enough in today's world; technology fluency is the goal for all paraprofessionals and support staff in Rockingham County Public Schools.
- RCPS will continue to provide and upgrade its training lab.
4. Students meet expectations for technology utilization pertaining to their subject and grade level as described by school division technology plans.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- RCPS has developed a matrix of technology skills for each grade level, K-5, so that by the time students complete Grade 5 they have mastered the 5th grade Computer/Technology SOLs.
- RCPS has not developed a means of assessing 5th grade students on the Computer/Technology Standards of Learning since the state stopped offering state-wide testing of these SOL.
- Many, though not all, curriculum areas integrate the Computer/Technology SOL.
- Since all middle school students take two full years of formal instruction in technology, high school students are able to use these well-developed technology skills in their high school coursework.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will begin assessing fifth graders' technology skills with a locally developed online SOL test.
- Schools will include a technology integration section in School Improvement Plans. This technology plan will be made by a committee of teachers, administrators, and parents/students.
- RCPS will expand the technology opportunities for teachers and students by purchasing additional multimedia carts (described above), ceiling mounted projection systems, and wireless technologies.
Goal 4 • Ensure that local technology plans are consistent with the state technology plan.
Targets
1. School divisions will have technology plans that are consistent with the components of the state technology plan. All schools will have technology plans that are consistent with the components of their division technology plan.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- With the completion and subsequent updates of this plan, RCPS will have aligned its technology plan 100% with the state technology plan.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will annually review its technology plan and align it, as necessary, with future changes in the state technology plan.
- RCPS Schools will be required to align their school-based plans to the RCPS plan.
2. All schools and school divisions will evaluate annually the progress and effectiveness of their technology plans.
Current Status of this Target in RCPS
- Prior to this revision, RCPS has revised its technology plan in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2004.
RCPS Action Plan for this Target
- RCPS will annually review its technology plan and align it, as necessary, with future changes in the state technology plan.