Blog #2 Progress Report on the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology

The Progress Report on the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 introduces an immersion project titled Technology Immersion Project (TIP) that was used to look at how technology and student performance are related. The students were provided laptops which almost immediately improved parental support. The schools and students were monitored for their progress from the beginning of the program, and there have been a great response to full immersion. Some of the benefits listed in the progress report included: improved academic achievement, ownership, and differentiated instruction.
The Progress Report also identified virtual schools as another means of improving student achievement and increasing their technology use. Texas Virtual School Network (TX VSN) is a supplemental program that allows students to gain credit to graduate in the distant education area. The courses are identified and then reviewed for approval from the region offices.
Teaching and learning is an important factor identified in the Progress Report. The need for all campuses and districts to work toward Target Tech continues to be the goal. The students are where we are placing our greatest focus. In order to see improvement there, teaching and learning is an area of the Long-Range Plan for Technology that must be focused on.
By introducing Vision 2020, schools are being provided with more technology through technology immersion and virtual learning. The Progress Report goes on further to list and describe the districts and schools that were recipients of this award.
Educator Preparation and Development is tracked by way of the STaR Chart and allows campuses and districts to be aware of technology areas in need of improvement.
Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support has also improved. Their improvement is also documented through the STaR Chart.
The Infrastructure for Technology has also improved by documentation of the STaR Chart. A lot of these improvements are because of the grants and awards provided to schools.