The Board of the South West Area Technology Team (bSWATT) STRATEGIC PLAN

2015 - 2018

Created by:  Kevin Chapman, Tracy Davis, Gerald Talbot, Troy Lunt, Travis Terry, Troy Bradshaw, Charlie Roberts, Jim Stewart, Edna LaMarca, and Cory Stokes

Our Current Technology Plan:

Vision 1:  Technology Professional Development

• All teachers will effectively use technology in the classroom to enhance instruction.

• Principals and other administrators will increase their support of teachers in integrating technology into the classroom.

• Schools will provide local, just-in-time technology support.

• Districts will have competent, well-trained technical staff that are able to engineer, support and maintain the technology infrastructure of the organization.

Strategies:  

1. Identify, train and support technology specialists in the schools.
2. Increase support for technology classroom integration from the superintendents, principals and other key administrators.
3. Districts will provide incentives and training for technology specialists in the schools.
4. SEDC technology team will assist in making technology effective in the classrooms throughout the region by implementing effective technology professional development.
5. Implementation of a teacher technology endorsement program to provide a long-term sustained technology professional development model.
6. Provide and sustain an effective technology training program for district technical staff.

Actions Items Ideas:

1. Develop a train-the-trainer model-First Priority.
2. Develop a communication template - what and how to communicate to the board, administrators & faculty (and perhaps others).
3. Media personnel shall be considered for training to help support technology in the classroom.
4. Document the requirements for each school technology specialist (minimum standards and expectations). Communicate these standards and expectations to all involved.
5. Provide an assessment of what the staff and schools should be doing and what should be done by districts’ staff and SEDC.
6. Implement technology endorsement program for administrators.
7. Provide technical briefings for administrators.
8. Conduct technology surveys for each district:

1. Iron District will share their survey format and results.

9. SEDC will provide a plan and develop a digital transition training program for principals.
10. SEDC will seek grant opportunities to provide an administrative technology endorsement.
11. SEDC will continue to provide Cisco technical training opportunities.
12. Develop regular, ongoing, peer training opportunities (e.g. rotate between Cisco, PHP, & SQL).
13. Build a collaborative training environment for the school and district based staff (similar to back office training, and specific to front line support. (e.g. Canvas/Google Classroom and others).

Action Plan 1-1:  Train-the-Trainer - Teacher Technology Integration

Specific Objective:  The SEDC team, working with the district technology directors, will develop and implement a region-wide technology classroom integration training program to train district/school personnel who will in turn provide timely technology training and support for other district/school staff.    

Step 1:  Implement a needs assessment to determine region-wide training priorities and technology tool focus.

Activity: Assigned to the SEDC Team

Timeline:  October 1, 2015

Step 2:  Determine and select trainers [to be trained] in each district

Activity:  Assigned to each district tech director (bSWATT) to report back to the team

Timeline:  November 1, 2015

Step 3:  Develop training schedule for the 2015-2017 school year using technology delivery tools including IVC, Canvas, and web-based conferencing.  Schedule should include in- person / classroom-direct instruction (To), modeling (With) and actual technology integration in the a classroom activity (By).  

Activity: Assigned to the bSWATT and SEDC trainers

Timeline: November 15, 2015

Step 4:  Implement professional development using the following To, With and By instructional model. Training will take place in person,  over IVC, and through other delivery systems on a regional, district, and school level.

Activity:  Assigned to the bSWATT and SEDC trainers

Timeline: December 1, 2015-June 30, 2017

Step 5:  Work with the local district trainers to help them implement training in their schools.

Activity:  Assigned to the bSWATT and SEDC trainers

Timeline: December 1, 2015-June 30, 2017

Measurements for Action Plan 1-1:  Train-the-Trainer - Teacher Technology Integration:  

1. The results of the technology training needs assessment will be reported to the bSWATT and SEDC board in October 2015.
2. A report will be developed and shared listing the Train-the-Trainer workshops implemented in June 2016.
3. A report will be developed and shared listing the workshops that each district trainer implemented for the school year in June 2016.
4. Through observations and other evaluative processes data will be collected in the fall of 2015 and again in the spring of 2017 to assess if the Train-the-Trainer program has enhanced the teacher’s use of technology in the classroom.

Action Plan 1-2:  Train-the-Trainer - School/Site Based Technology Support Specialist

Specific Objective:  The SEDC team, working with the district technology directors, will develop and implement a region-wide site-base technology support specialist training program to train school site specialist personnel who will in turn provide timely technology support for other district/school staff.    

Step 1: Develop standards and requirements to determine and select site technology support staff to be trained in each district/school.

Activity:  Assigned to the district tech directors (bSWATT)

Timeline:  October 1, 2015

Step 2: Implement a needs assessment to determine region-wide training priorities and technology support  focus.

Activity: Assigned to the SEDC Team

Timeline:  October 15, 2015

Step 3: Communicate the above standards and expectations to all involved.

Activity: Assigned to the bSWATT

Timeline:  November 15, 2015 (ongoing)

Step 4:  Develop training schedule for the 2015-2016 school year using technology delivery tools including IVC, Canvas, and web-based conferencing.  The schedule will include in-person direct instruction, modeling and actual technology support in the school.

Activity:  Assigned to the bSWATT, SEDC trainers and technical specialists

Timeline: November 15, 2015

Step 5:  Implement professional development using the following [To, With and By] instructional model. Training will take place in person, over IVC, and through other delivery systems.

Activity: Assigned to the bSWATT and SEDC trainers

Timeline: December 1, 2015 - June 30, 2017

Step 6:  Work with the local district technology specialists to help implement support in their schools.

Activity:  Assigned to the bSWATT and SEDC technology team

Timeline: October 15, 2015-June 30, 2017 (ongoing)

Measurements for Action Plan 1-2:  Train-the-Trainer - School/Site Based Technology Support Specialist :  

1. The results of the technology support needs assessment will be reported to the bSWATT and SEDC board in November 2015.
2. Provide a report for the school technology support specialist standards to the SEDC board (November 2015).
3. A report will be developed and shared listing the training for the technology support specialists workshops implemented in June 2016 and 2017.
4. Through observations and other evaluative processes, data will be collected in Fall 2015 and again in Spring 2017 to assess if the Train-the-Trainer program has enhanced teacher’s use of technology in the classroom.

Action Plan 1-3:  Effectively Engaging and Communicating with Stakeholders

Specific Objective: The SEDC team, working with the district technology directors and the SEDC board, will develop and implement a region-wide technology communication plan helping to ensure that the regional technology plans, programs, projects and tasks are communicated effectively to all involved stakeholders.    

Step 1:  Implement a region-wide technology program stakeholder analysis to more fully understand and determine the communication processes needed for the SEDC technology department to effectively communicate at a higher level.

Activity: Assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  September 1, 2015

Step 2:  Develop a long-term (3-5 years) communication plan focusing on the following:

1. Stakeholder communication requirements
2. Reasons for the distribution of information
3. Timeline and frequency for the distribution of required information
4. Individual or group responsible for communication of information
5. Individuals and groups receiving information

Activity: Assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline: July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015

Measurements for Action Plan 1-3:  Effectively Engaging and Communicating with Stakeholders

1. The final stakeholder analysis report will be provided to the SEDC and bSWATT boards (September 2015)
2. Measurements will be provided through the communication plan (January 2016)

Vision 2: Standardization

• All technology that is supported by the SEDC technology team shall be standardized.

Strategies:

1. Develop a standards document that identifies the services and equipment that SEDC supports-First Priority 
2. Communication with the SEDC Board will help ensure the support of the technology standards.
3. Protocols will be developed and implemented to ensure appropriate upgrades/revisions for the standards.

Actions Items Ideas:

1. Study and report on recommended standards.
2. Districts and SEDC will work together to align standards and develop a list of all supported standards and keep this list current.
3. Publish a list of standards.
4. Create guidelines for procurement (also, possibly do some procurement and/or volume purchases?).
5. Develop a process to request, evaluate, change and approve technology standards.
6. Standards can be changed through bSWATT/Board approval.
7. Situations where no practical solution can be found should not be implemented.  

Action Plan 2-1:  All technology that is supported by the SEDC technology team shall be standardized.

Specific Objective: The SEDC team, working with the district technology directors and the SEDC board, will develop a process and implement SEDC standardization protocol as determined by bSWATT helping to ensure that the SEDC team will be  more effective and efficient in supporting educational technology in the region.    

Step 1:  Through thorough research of best practices, develop a technology standards document for all supported hardware, software, technology professional development topics, and hosted services that the SEDC technology team will help support for the schools  

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  August 1, 2015

Step 2:  The SEDC team will promote, advertise, document and provide training to all  stakeholders including the SEDC board on the importance of the SEDC technology supported standards.    

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team

Timeline:  August 1, 2015 to August 1, 2016

Step 3:  Protocols will be developed, shared and implemented to ensure appropriate updates, changes and additional projects/programs will be added to the supported technology standards in a timely and effective manner.

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  August 1, 2015 to ongoing

Measurements for Action Plan 2-1:  All technology that is supported by the SEDC technology team shall be standardized.

1. The final standardization report will be provided to the SEDC and bSWATT boards (August 2015).  Feedback will be gathered through a formal discussion.  
2. The time spent by the SEDC technology team providing and supporting the standards will be documented and reported.  (August 2015 to June 2016)

3. A report will be provided to both bSWATT and the SEDC board providing details on tasks that have been completed not in line with the standards (June 2016).

Vision 3:  Expectations, Mandates and Leadership Issues

• bSWATT will effectively communicate, share and develop understanding regarding the technology team’s capacities, capabilities and roles to ensure that our stakeholders know how we can better assist in meeting the organization’s technology needs/requirements.

Strategies:

1. Define and document the issues and solutions that affect multiple districts and that can be coordinated through SEDC.
2. Promote and share bSWATT technology best practices in the region.
3. Spend time working directly with administrators, teachers and students in the region to determine, understand, develop and communicate expectations.
4. Develop a protocol to communicate requests and needs by stakeholders so that everyone will understand what SEDC does, and what services are provided, at the district and school level.
5. Strengthen/develop educational technology leadership skills.

Actions Item Ideas:

1. Develop a process to deal with new service, professional development and other requests for the SEDC Technology Team. -First Priority 
2. Use the bSWATT agenda to coordinate issues that should go to the SEDC Board.
3. Formalize communication processes with the superintendents.
4. Encourage the tech directors and other tech staff to get a seat on important committees. Identify committees that should be targeted.
5. Develop leadership techniques (e.g. CoSN CETL).
6. It is a recommendation that technical leaders search for opportunities to teach in the classroom in order to support teachers and gain a better understanding of the challenges of using technology in education.
7. Develop ‘big splash’ opportunities in order to help stakeholders at different levels to understand the value of technology. Find exemplary technology deployments to showcase our capabilities.
8. Engage students to promote technology solutions and leverage acceptance by faculty and administrators.
9. Thoroughly research technology solutions before implementation to help ensure success.
10. Effectively communicate with administrators regarding possible risks, wasting of resources and the chance of failure for unrealistic projects, programs and mandates. .

Action Plan 3-1:  Develop a process to deal with new services, projects, professional development and other requests.

Specific Objective:  The SEDC team, working with the bSWATT, will develop a more formal process and communication plan for more effectively dealing with new services, professional development and projects and programs that are requested by member districts/schools to help ensure a higher equitable and efficient level of services are provided on a regional basis.

Step 1:  Develop technology processes and protocol for handling all new requested services. This includes defining roles for school, district and regional support personnel and their responsibilities.  

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  August 1, 2015

Step 2:  The SEDC team will promote, advertise, document and provide training to stakeholders on the importance and the standards developed for new requested services including professional development.

Activity: is assigned to the SEDC Team, working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  August 1, 2015 to August 1, 2016

Measurements for Action Plan 3-1:  Develop a process to deal with new services, projects, professional development and other requests.

1. The new requests for services processes and protocols will be reported to the SEDC and bSWATT boards (August 2015).  Feedback will be gathered through a formal discussion for approval.  
2. The actual requests details, whether approved or declined, for services will be recorded, documented and reported (August 2015 - ongoing).

Vision 4:  Funding (E-rate, Grants Writing, Legislative Initiatives and Personnel)

• Through a collaborative effort, the SEDC technology team, working with the bSWATT and the SEDC board, will identify resources in order to secure funding to meet mission critical and future technology needs.

Strategies:

1. Share funding resources across the region.
2. Actively seek opportunities for funding.
3. Develop a collaborative executive level group focused on working on funding issues/requests.

Actions Item Ideas:

1. The SEDC team will share grant funding resources across the region-First Priority 
2. The bSWATT will discuss technology grant opportunities at bSWATT meetings.
3. The SEDC board will add an agenda discussion item for technology funding (grants, legislative, etc.)
4. SEDC will provide train the trainer workshops on grant writing
5. It is recommended that district technology teams discuss grants and other funding opportunities in their district tech meetings.

Action Plan 4-1:  Share funding and grant resources across the region

Specific Objective:  The SEDC team, working with the bSWATT, will develop a more formal process on how to effectively acquire grants to help fund technology projects at a higher level for the districts, schools and teachers.    

Step 1:  At a higher level and on a regular basis, find grant opportunities and send these opportunities to those interested in writing grants (those on the grants listserv) to increase the amount of funding that is received in the region.  

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team working with the bSWATT

Timeline:  April 2015 to ongoing

Step 2:  The SEDC team will continue to research the most effective means to dedicate resources in helping those in the region write and submit grants.

Activity: This is assigned to the SEDC Team

Timeline:  April 1, 2015 to ongoing

Measurements for Action Plan 4-1:  Share funding and grant resources across the region

1.  The number of grant opportunities that are send out from SEDC will be documented (March 2015 to July 2017).
2. All requested grant trainings and support incidents will be tracked and recorded by each SEDC technology team members (January 2016).
3. Grants written or have assisted in writing (funded or not) by the SEDC technology team will be tracked, documented and reported to the SEDC and SWATT boards on a yearly basis (each May).

Vision 5:  The Security of the Network and Servers

• Through ongoing security assessments, professional development and our focused attention, SEDC’s and the district's’ and charter systems will be secured at a higher level.

Strategies:

1. On an ongoing basis define and develop a rubrics that will help districts and charters assess and focus on what security needs they have (using the SEASAT needs assessment results, security audits, etc.).
2. SEDC will provide and facilitate professional development in areas where the districts and charters need the most help -- based from the SEASAT self assessment and rubrics results.
3. SEDC working with the district's technology team will Implement formal and Informal in house and 3rd party security audits/assessments.
4. SEDC will provide and promote on-site security assistance to the district's/charters/schools
5. Provide ongoing professional development for SEDC, district and charter technology staff.

Action Plan 5-1:  Develop a Security Rubrics (ongoing)

Specific Objective:

The SEDC technology team will develop and continue to update on an ongoing basis a technical security rubric to help assess security needs.

The current rubric: http://pub.lucidpress.com/f22b079d-9f60-4251-a92a-50de829e3f76/

Step 2:  This rubric will be presented to bSWATT and will be updated regularly.

Activity: Scott will review the rubric once a year at a bSWATT meeting

Timeline:  On-going starting in Jan 2016

Step 3: Using the rubric, Scott will meet with the technology director and other team members in each district and charter school on a quarterly basis to review the status of security in the district or charter.  

Activity: Scott working with bSWATT

Timeline: On-going starting March 2016

Action Plan 5-2:  Assessment and Trainings

Specific Objective:

Through ongoing assessment and training, the SEDC technology team, will help the district or charter technology directors improve security for our educational technology systems in the region.

Step 1:  Using the SEASAT assessment results and the security rubric, the SEDC team will work directly with each district/charter technology director/team to review the highest security areas of focus for their district/charter and in the region.

Activity: SEASAT assessment data collected, and first version of the rubrics completed, SEDC team to work with each technology director to determine needs.  

Timeline:  Nov 1, 2015 to April 1, 2016

Step 2:   After the needs assessment data is collected, the SEDC team, working with the SEASAT and bSWATT committees will develop and implement a professional development program for district/charter technical staff and educators.

Activity: Scott working with the SEASAT and bSWATT

Timeline: April 1, 2016 to July 1, 2018

Action Plan 5-3:  Assistance and Support

Specific Objective: 

Through ongoing and timely assistance and support, the SEDC technology team, will help the district/charter technology directors improve security for our educational technology systems in the region.

Step 1:  The SEDC technology team, working with UEN Security Staff, will schedule and provide hands-on system security assistance and support on a quarterly basis in each district/charter (this is onsite support).

Activity: Scott working with the district/charter technology directors/teams will schedule these quarterly events for each district/charter.

Timeline:  August 1, 2016-Ongoing

Next Steps (this is just our first step)