Pamela+Loder

**Executive Summary**
====Nature Coast Technical High School serves students in grades 9-12. It is located in Brooksville, Florida in Hernando County, North of Tampa, Florida and is populated by low-to-middle income families. Nature Coast Technical High School’s mission is to equip students with skills in technology, problem solving, critical thinking, and social interaction by developing an atmosphere of trust, high expectations and consistent support. Nature Coast Technical High School students thrive in an academic, and technology rich environment.====

====Nature Coast Technical High School failed to meet AYP in 2011. According to AYP results Nature Coast Technical High School fell short in math; significant gains were shown in the other major academic areas.==== ====With the demands of equipping students with the skills that they need for the 21st Century, NCTHS has adopted the Hernando County School District’s technology plan. Every NCTHS classroom is equipped with computers that are capable of internet connectivity, LCD projectors, and other audio enhancement technology. However, only half of the educators at Nature Coast actually utilize the technology that they have been afforded to enhance instruction.====

The educators at NCTHS who are failing to utilize the available technology have cited time management and insufficient professional development support for their gap in performance.
====This proposal recommends a performance improvement intervention to help increase the rate in technology integration by all educators at NCTHS. If an increase in technology integration by educators can be achieved, an increase in student achievement will be the end result. The performance improvement intervention will span approximately three years and has a total cost of $16,400. Included in this amount is a variety of technology trainings, benefiting teachers, administrators and support staff at NCTHS.==== ====During the summers technology trainings and workshops will be offered to meet the needs of the staff. Instructors for these professional development activities will be instructional staff; they will be provided pay compensation and will share and support their expertise by providing training for other staff. Two instructional technology specialists will be provided. They will support and provide training for instructional staff in the use of technology. Three technology ambassadors will be provided.==== ====Nature Coast Technical High School has had a C rating for a few years. Average is no longer enough NCTHS personnel have recognized the need to close the existing performance gap in regards to effective technology integration. The consideration of this proposal will help Nature Coast Technical High School to continue to provide students with the best possible education.====

Problem Summary
====The School District of Hernando County has a comprehensive technology plan. It covers needs assessment, goals, funding, technology acquisition, access, user support, professional development and program evaluation.==== ====The mission of the district is to integrate technology into instruction, provide tools and training for educators, facilitate learning of students with special needs, increase administrative efficiency, and to improve communication within the organization and community. The goal of the district is to improve the performance of all students, regardless of their needs and to equip them with the technology skills needed to transition successfully to the next stages of their developments.==== ====There are three objectives from the plan that effect the progress of technology integration at Nature Coast Technical High: Providing instructional staff and administrators with professional development opportunities to enable them to successfully integrate technology into classroom instruction, assure that provided technologies are being integrated into the curriculum, improve student overall performance.==== ====Although Nature Coast Technical High has been provided with the latest educational technology only about half of the teachers at Nature Coast Technical High use the technology that has been provided to them many of the new technology tools that are available to the instructional staff are sitting around collecting dust. Although research studies have documented that increased integration of technology by teachers; increases overall student academic achievement.====

Background Organization
====Nature Coast Technical High school serves students in grades 9-12. It opened its doors in the fall of 2003. It is located in Brooksville, Florida in Hernando County and is populated by low-to-middle income families. Approximately 41% of the student population receives free or reduced lunch. The mission of Nature Coast Technical High School is to equip students with skills in technology, problem solving, critical thinking, and social interactions by developing an atmosphere of trust, high expectations, and consistent support. Our success will be measured through the student achievement of maximum personal potential; parental, community, and employer satisfaction with our students and improvement on standardized tests such as the FCAT and SAT.====

Performance Gap: Cause Analysis
====Teachers are frustrated with how unreliable technology can be. When computers malfunction it takes time to fix them and that can be problematic especially when teachers rely on technology to meet deadlines or to complement lesson plans.====

====Teachers often feel as if they are novice users and that making the transition to expert is nearly impossible and that they will not be afforded the long lasting resources needed to effectively integrate technology information to the classroom.====

Intervention Strategies
====The Hernando County School District has the ability and the resources needed to offer instructional staff free online easily accessible professional development opportunities for a wide array of topics, ranging from computer literacy to internet educational resources. This is made possible through the school districts comprehensive technology plan. Any professional development costs that are incurred by Nature Coast Technical High School under the strategies that will be listed below, are low-cost. The estimated cost of the professional development that will be on site at the Nature Coast Technical High School will be included in the cost summary. Nature Coast Technical High School already has two Instructional Technology Specialists and the three Technology Ambassadors will be instructional staff, no monetary compensation will provided, so there will be no additional costs incurred.====

Low-Cost Strategy
====Three Technology Ambassador positions will be created to complement the two Instructional Technology Specialists positions. Those technology ambassadors’ positions will be filled by instructional staff, teachers who are tech savvy who can juggle their instructional duties and the duties that are required of the Technology Ambassador. There will be no additional compensation provided to those who fill the position of technology ambassador. The role of the Technology Ambassador will consist of the delivery of professional development for all instructional staff with the integration and implementation of new or existing instructional technologies within the classrooms. The Instructional Technology Specialists will work in tandem with the Technology Ambassadors and will be responsible for the maintenance of the instructional technology, troubleshooting any problems with the technological hardware, and resolving any technical problems that may arise. The compensation for instructional staff who participates in any professional development activities will be comp time. This time can be accumulated and used throughout the school year. District based training that is not on site will be supplemented with stipends and points that will be used toward recertification. An approximate $5,000 will be provided for this low-cost strategy and will cover any expenses incurred related to the maintenance of instructional technology.====

Medium-Cost Strategy
====The position of Technology Coach will be created to complement the Instructional Technology Specialist position. The position will be full- time and will be filled by a tech savvy teacher. The role of Technology Coach will be the delivery of professional development for all instructional staff with the integration and implementation of new or existing instructional technologies within the classrooms. The Technology Coach will be responsible for assisting instructional staff with modifications to curriculum, classroom environment enhancement, and modeling the best practices in technology integration. The Instructional Technology Specialist will work in tandem with the technology coach and will be responsible for maintaining instructional technology, troubleshoot any problems that arise with technological hardware and resolving any potential problems that may arise. The compensation for instructional staff that participate in professional development activities will include comp time, time that can be accrued and used throughout the school year. District based training that is not on-site will be supplemented with stipends and points toward recertification. An approximate 25,000 for the medium-cost strategy will cover an additional, full time, instructional position, a laptop for the instructional staff member who fills this position will be provided, the laptop will be equipped with internet connectivity and expenses in relation to technology equipment maintenance will also be included in this medium- cost strategy as indicated previously.====

High-Cost Strategy
====A Technology Resource Team will be created. The Technology Team will include a Technology Coach and two Instructional Technology Specialists. The role of Technology Coach will consist of the delivery of professional development; follow up support for instructional staff with the implementation and integration of new and existing instructional technologies within their classroom. The Instructional Technology Specialists will be responsible for maintaining technical equipment, troubleshooting problems with technical hardware, and resolving any technical problems that may arise. Compensation for instructional staff that participate in professional development activities will include comp time, time that can be accrued and used throughout the school year. An approximate $50,000 will be required for the high-cost strategy. These funds are needed for the technology coach position, a computer upgrade to classrooms, equipped with internet connectivity, to provide instructional staff with laptop computers equipped with internet connectivity and the purchase of an interactive whiteboard for every classroom.====

Low Cost Strategy
The low cost strategy is cost efficient. This strategy requires no compensation for the Technology Ambassador positions. The compensation for participation in professional development activities will be comp time, no monetary compensation will be provided. Stipends for district based training will be taken from the district budget. The only potential weakness to this low-cost strategy is that the Technology Ambassadors will have to juggle the demands of teaching and of being a Technology Ambassador without any monetary compensation. This could potentially cause stress for the Technology Ambassador and as a result may decrease productivity and effect job performance. This prospect is not acceptable and this is the justification for not choosing this low-cost strategy. The success of performance improvement intervention relies heavily upon the Technology Ambassadors level of support and diligence.

High Cost Strategy
There are many strengths embedded in this strategy. There are factors that could have a positive effect on student performance through technology implementation and integration. The Technology Team could distribute tasks and responsibilities across personnel more efficiently. Technology Coaches could devote more time to instructional staff, thereby enhancing the opportunity for professional development and increasing the availability of the Technology coach. Upgraded computers equipped with internet connectivity and interactive whiteboard in each classroom is ideal for increasing teacher and student motivation through the implementation and integration of instructional technology. Given the recent tightening of the district budget the high cost strategy seems rather far fetched. The district budget cuts gives the justification for not choosing this strategy.

Medium-Cost Strategy
This strategy incorporates the strengths of the low-cost and high-cost strategies without the weaknesses of the low-cost and high-cost strategies. The strategy requires nearly double the cost of the low-cost strategy. Through grants and outside funding sources we can put this strategy within a reasonable cost range. Through the creating of the Technology Coach position the level of stress on the Technology Coach will greatly decreased. The medium-cost strategy is the intervention that will be used to close Nature Coast Technical High Schools targeted performance gap.