Texas STaR Chart

The Texas Star Chart is a way to chart progress being made by the state and by invidual districts and campus regarding the progress being made in technology advancement under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Our entire world is becoming increasingly digital and if we want our students here in Texas and in the nation to be able to compete in this ever increasing global market, we as educators must prepare them and we ourselves have to be prepared as well. The Long Range Plan lays out expectations for the state and districts from 2006-2010. There are many components to this plan but the STaR chart only rates four, which are: 1). teaching & learning, 2). educator preparation & development, 3). leadership, administration, & instructional support, and 4). infrastructure for technology. However, I feel that the foundation for improvement in the area of technology begins with what is set forth and communicated by our leaders and administrators. The area of leadership, administration, and instructional support from the STaR chart is of the most important because this is where it starts. Leaders and administrators must determine what technology needs our students must possess to be able to compete globally in the 21st century. Leaders and administrators work collaboratively with others to determine these needs and the information trickles down fr0m here and helps determine what information and tools teachers need to possess to get students motivated and involved in this new technological age that is transforming the 21st century. Educatioinal leaders are detrimental in this area because they help to create the vision and implement and sustain the programs to put this vision into place by getting all stakeholders involved. Leaders have a huge responsibility because they are almost like the catalyst for change and as a result of this new long range plan should be able to develop, implement, and find funding to help put into place and align resources for this tecnological change. The environments that leaders create must be flexible, innovative as well as responsive. Leaders must also make sure that their schools offer expanded curriculum and instructional opportunities to students via online, digital, as well as a variety of distance learning opportunities. Leaders must also provide and set up opportunities for staff development.

This area (Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support) at the local level declined and then showed progress so is considered as still developing. Progress is also being made at the state level. More campuses statewide are moving into the advanced technology and targeted technology category from the early technology and developing technology categories. In 2006-07, 3% of campuses were considered in the early technology 54.95% were considered as still developing, 38.9% were considered as advanced, and 3.2% were considered to be in the targeted area. From 2007-08, only 2.0% of campuses were considered to be in the early technology stage statewide, 49% were considered to be developing, 45.5% were considered to be advanced and 3.6% were considered to be in the targeted area. A campus in the early technology stage does not have a technology plan, technology is only used to perform necessary tasks, no instructional specialist or district coordinators exists, and no budget is allocated for technology advancement or improvement. A campus that is considered as developing has a local plan in place that is aligned with the long range plan, some sort of vision exist, a limited technical support staff and a full time district technology coordinator exists. A small budget is set aside for technology improvement. A campus that is advanced has campus plan that is board approved, a technical support person for every 500 computers, a full time technology director is employed, and grants and other sources are used to fund technology plans. A campus that has achieved the targeted technology level has a plan focused on student success that is supported by the board and administration, there is one technical support person for every 350 computers, a campus instructional support staff, and many sources of funding are utilized to improve technology enrichment.