Technology Plan

Laura Laird
Sherine Smith
EDA 612
Technology Plan
Technology Plan
Prior to working in education, I worked in technology. In the late 90’s I worked at Apple
Computer and had access to cutting edge equipment and software at the time. By the 2005 when
I finished my teaching credential in a school that had all the means for technology and families
with full access to the internet and mobile devices. I thought this will allow us to close the
opportunity gap (achievement gap). When I worked at Apple there were very few women in
positions that were in engineering and design and even less for women of color. I went into
education for the purpose of closing the opportunity gap.
I took my first teaching job in a district that served mostly first-generation immigrants
and students that migrated. When I first entered my classroom, t was unmistakable the harsh
comparison between where I student taught and where I would start my teaching career. There
was 1 old PC desktop for the teacher and no technology in the room for students. We had regular
whiteboards to iPads or any other devices for student. There was 1 computer lab for the entire
school equipped with old PCs that ran one math program and one language arts program and had
a printer that sometimes worked. I went on at that school to be on the technology committee to
learn new software that would benefit students and seek ways to get more technology even if it
meant asking former technology co-workers to donate “old” equipment.
I mention this because I have noticed over the years there has been a technology gap. I
have chosen up until this point to serve the underserved whether it be in my first assignment in a
mainly migrant farming community or now in an urban inner city. I have had over a decade to
compare the technology opportunities with my friends that are still in the school I student taught.
Currently, I am the head of the special education department in a charter school. I have
had various teaching roles and roles outside the classroom over the years. We have been focused
on providing as much technology for not just assessment and data but also using technology to
learn, critically think, and present. It has been helping to close the opportunity gap, but I knew
we were always a step behind the schools like the one I student taught.
There is 1 good thing that has come from COVID and that is our new technology plan.
Every student has their own Chromebook and hotspot. Now all of our students and their families
have access to the internet. Families can check grades, email teachers at their convenience and
have easy access to the calendar of events for them. Students can now do assignments and
research that they may not have been able to do previously.
We have been using the Gmail suite including google classroom for years, so that has
been an easy transition for students to now have in every class. Our technology department has
technical support for students, families, and staff available via the phone, email and zoom. They
provide curbside pick up or will deliver it to families that cannot get to the school easily. They
provide zoom training on software such as zoom, new tips and tricks to current software and
have an inventory of videos for teachers to access in addition to the zoom trainings. That has
been very helpful as our teachers all have varying levels of knowledge of how to use technology
effectively. I would love to add weekend access for technical support for students, families and
staff. Our campus has students from grades sixth through twelve so there are software support
specific needs. We use College Prep Math for high school, Math Links for middle school and
Albert IO for our AP classes. All students must take at least 1 AP class before graduation. All
students except our moderate to severe use Achieve 3000 for determine Lexile levels and to
assist in growing their fluency and comprehension. As the program specialist this has really
helped the students receiving special education services to not be overlooked. It gives precise
information to the teacher and how to support the student in addition to the IEP. Our Moderate
to severe program uses NY2 as a supplement in the classroom. We also invest every year in
teacher professional development in how to use and maximize the software we use.
I would like to use the SBAC interims for our benchmarks, so students have multiple access to
the language, level of questions, and getting familiar with the software so that they are better
prepared for end of the year testing.
My responsibility in the plan focusses on making sure that our 250 students with special
education services to receive the necessary technology and support needed to maximize their
access. I also interact with all teachers to make sure they have access to support when needed to
make sure they know how to support students with technology needs. I work with the technology
department to coordinate receiving equipment and assistance. Sometimes this is an iMac (for a
bigger screen), noise canceling headphones, software/hardware for text to speech/speech to text,
extra training for teaching for remote access mostly for moderate to severe students to help
access something on their computer when they are having difficulty.

One area that has definitely improved for special education and I hope we continue to use
this even after we are back in person in whatever our new normal is zoom IEPs. We have only
had to reschedule under ten families this year. It’s an incredible increase in participation. I also
feel they are more comfortable because they can “attend” while at home or at work. The special
education teachers also agree that there has been more participation in general with their students
and communication with teachers and advocating with their case manager.
Overall, I think this plan is has been implemented really well. Everything was clearly
outlined and communicated to students, families, and staff. It continues to be improved upon as
needed.

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Laura Laird

education for the purpose of closing the opportunity gap.

meant asking former technology co-workers to donate “old” equipment.

research that they may not have been able to do previously.

prepared for end of the year testing.

access something on their computer when they are having difficulty.

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