The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology

The plan encompasses the 2006 to 2010 years and the step-wise plan for the development and use of technology by all Texas State students.
The goal is that all Texas State students are given every opportunity in all spheres of their routine daily living, whether at home, or in any institution of learning; be able to use and adapt technology and electronic media into improving their lives, and being successful, while at the same time, being competitive in the global economy.
As such, various steps must be taken, from staff development training, feasibility studies that take student diversity, learning styles, ability, special needs status, relevance to the unique individual learner needs, parent/family involvement in students’ education, etc; in order to provide every child with the most updated and accomplished methods to be successful in the modern era.
All professional educators, whether veteran, current or those to be hired in the future; must be technologically knowledgeable and appropriately prepared to use technology to train or teach the students they serve.
The TEA and SBEC have developed various technology standards that all educators must meets, in order to meet the minimum requirements required to become certified.
Various education bodies and organizations are allowed to provide training and courses for educators to help meet the target tech level on the STaR chart; and school districts are expected to report to the TEA on the number of educators that meet the SBEC Technology Applications Standards.
Administrators have been given the onus, as head of schools and campuses, to spearhead the knowledge and use of technology for various uses. They must model the use of technology in routine daily tasks, in individual and group activities, in communication, problem-solving, and every area of their personal and professional growth.
They must promote technology use by providing the funds, time, and solid, research-based training that is State and TEA standards-aligned, in order to produce technology-certified teachers and staff that are comfortable with all aspects of technology use.
The long range plan has recommendations to the TEA, regional education service centers, local education agencies, Texas Higher Education, parents, communities and the private sector; all based on best practices and interactive decision-making and plans that would help in the proper and effective implementation of the technology plan, both current, and long range.
Various kinds of infrastructure must be put in place in all school districts, to help promote the staff and students’ access to universally available technology.
A variety of media - video, voice, data and other powerful applications - with continuous, anytime connectivity to other networks, must be made available to all students, whenever needed. As newer versions of soft/hardware replace older ones, on-going training must be provided, as well as the materials to keep up to par with the new technological advances. Schools and campuses must also have trained professionals who have knowledge and technical expertise needed to fix the systems, if they break down, or keep them in good working order, so that all stakeholders can access information and other needed data to promote the smooth running of the school.