Revised 12/20/07
Five Required Elements for USAC Technology Plans
USAC has become more specific about what must be covered in the five areas they require in a school’s technology plan. Technology Plan Approvers are receiving training about the new requirements. The information that follows is designed for you to use as a checklist. If a plan does not cover the required items it will be returned for updating.
Required: The plan should contain a cover sheet listing the name of the organization, the Billing Entity Number (BEN), the period that the plan covers and the current date.
It is strongly recommended that a technology plan include a table of contents listing the five required areas and the page(s) where they can be found in the plan. USAC is now being monitored by Congressional Over Sight Committees and the General Accounting Office. Audits and reviews will be more common and the reviewer will probably not be familiar with educational technology. Things will go more smoothly if information is readily available.
Clear Goals and a Realistic Strategy
The technology plan must establish clear goals and a realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology to improve education.
Examples of specific goals for using technology could include:
• Improvements that should occur from the use of technology by students, teachers and parents.
• Achievements and/or successes that can be attained using technology.
• Increased staff and student competency with using technology.
• Additional Internet and/or telecommunication options for classrooms.
• Accessibility to technology.
• How the school will develop and integrate the technology.
• Standards required for implementation of the technology.
• Technology needed for the future to maintain or enhance the current instructional or library environment.
Professional Development
The tech plan must have a professional development strategy to ensure that staff knows how to use these new technologies to improve education.
Describe and list the professional development activities required of staff to train properly on the technology in the school.
The following are required items:
• Acknowledging that training is more than just how to turn on the computer.
• Identify person or group in charge of planning and coordinating staff training.
• Verifying current levels of training.
• Details of training:
• Methods of training to be used. (classroom, seminars, Train-the-Trainer, etc.)
• How training supports the curriculum goals.
• Documentation of training. (sign-in sheets, computer lab logs, lists of in-service activities, etc.)
Needs Assessment
The tech plan must include an assessment of the telecommunication services, hardware, software, and/or other services that will be needed to improve education services.
Required: Provide a status of the existing technology that relates to items listed on the Form 470, such as:
• Telephone system.
• Building Infrastructure. (e.g., electrical capacity, cooling system)
• Computer hardware and software.
• Internet access.
• Staff training.
Required: Based on the current technology, describe new technology needs that relates to items listed on the form 470, such as:
• Adding a firewall or replacing servers.
• Adding upgrades to phone system.
• Adding network switches.
• Adding cable drops.
• Installing a new network.
• Classroom/lab materials.
Required: Describe the maintenance needed for new and existing equipment
• How often will the technology be serviced? (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.)
• What are the characteristics and capabilities of the equipment? (e.g., age, model, year, memory, etc.)
Sufficient Budget
A realistic budget should be included based on the best information available when the plan is written. The technology plan must show how the school will:
• Pay the non-discount share of the cost
• Acquire and support the necessary resources (computers, training, electricity, software, etc.) needed to make effective use of the discounted services.
Required: Include a statement about items necessay to support the e-rate request but not funded by e-rate. State how these items are to be funded. For example a statement could say that salaries for the technology staff and the school’s telephone charges will be paid from the school’s general operating budget. Funds for purchasing desktop software and hardware are part of the technology budget, a line item in the school’s general operating budget. Specific numbers are not required.
Required: Budgets should include estimated costs for items being requested on the Form 470. Numbers can be projections based on reasonable expectations of receiving funding and incurring expenses. Specific numbers are required.
Evaluation Process
The tech plan must include an evaluation process that enables the school to monitor progress toward specified goals and make mid-course corrections in response to new developments and opportunities as they arise.
The evaluation process could describe:
• If and how goals were met.
• Any unexpected outcomes.
• Any new needs that emerged.
• Any goals that are no longer relevant.
Required:
• How frequently the tech plan will be evaluated. Semi annually or quarterly is recommended.
• The person(s) responsible for reviewing and updating the plan. Titles of committee members are recommended instead of individuals’ names so the committee remains in tact through personnel changes.
• How progress toward the goals and objectives will be measured or monitored.