April 2006: Volume 7, Number 6
Newsline Submission Guidelines
Inside this Issue
Instructional Technology Update
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Missouri House approves virtual school bill
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SETDA names new executive team
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Rulemaking opened under Digital Millennium Copyright Act
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Funding Year 2006 News
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Funding Year 2005 News
Ed Tech Research, Publications, Resources, Special Events
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ISTE publishes NETS*S: Resources for Student Assessment
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CoSN offers free online self-assessment tool regarding accessible technologies
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21st-Century Literacy Study Promotes Participation in Digital Culture
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NCES Releases school staffing survey report
Missouri Schools and Programs in the News
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MSBA Leader Co-Authors Article
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Did You Speak Up? Is Your School a Member of Speak Up 100?
e-Learning for Educators: Missouri Update
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The Missouri implementation of the e-Learning for educators project, a Ready to Teach Grant focused on e-Learning and professional development involving public television stations and state departments of education in nine states.
Some of the activities of METPA to look for -
METPA strand at the spring technical conference
One day drive-in technology coordinators' session in May in Columbia
Regular Featured Items
Index by Topics
Archives
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The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or age in it's programs and activities. (more) |
Budgets/Grant Programs
Fiscal Year 2006-07 – Federal funding <Reminder>
Title II.D program flexibility
– Congress appropriated a total of $272.5 million for the program, representing
a 45% decrease in funding for 2006-07. In the appropriations bill, Congress also
included language overriding the statutory provision that State educational
agencies use 50 percent of the amount available for grants to local educational
agencies for formula awards and 50 percent for competitive awards. This language
provides states with the flexibility to reserve up to 100 percent of their
allocations for competitive awards to eligible local entities. If formula grants
are awarded, no more than 50 percent of the funding may be distributed by
formula.
After examining the possible funding structures and consulting with
groups of public and nonpublic school practitioners, the Department has
elected to disburse all Title II.D funds via competitive grants. The
determining factors in making this decision included the possible range
of grant sizes and the likely impact of those grants. The competitive
grant program provides larger, more substantive grants that, in the
past, have been proven effective in improving student achievement. With
all the funding targeted for competitive grants, it should be sufficient
to award six to eight new projects in FY07 along with 10 second-year
projects. Fiscal Year 2006-07 – State funding
1.
MOREnet Programs – Governor Blunt proposed level funding of the
MOREnet network for the year 2006-07. In March the House passed HB3 with
no changes to the proposed level funding. While the Senate has not yet
passed its education appropriations bill, there have been no proposed
changes to the MOREnet allocation thus far.
2.
Safe Schools Grant Program – The application materials for new
safe schools grants have been posted to the Safe Schools web site.
Applications are due April 15. Since that date falls on a Saturday in
2006, the deadline has been pushed back to Monday, April 17. Census of Technology – Data entry screens available March 2, to be
completed by April 15
The Census of Technology (COT) is collected each spring via Screens
30 and 31 of Missouri’s online core data collection system. The 2006
screens are active and should be completed by no later than April
15, 2006. The login page is located at:
https://k12apps.dese.mo.gov/webapps/logon.asp. Contact
Instructional Technology with questions pertaining to the content
being collected.
Missouri House approves virtual school bill
On March 30, The House passed HB1275 authorizing the Department
of Education to establish a virtual school program by mid-Summer
next year. It would use the latest technology to serve up to 500
students throughout the state, allowing high school students to
take courses online. The state will contract with appropriate
providers that offer services and employ teachers. The bill now
moves to the Senate. For more on HB1275, see:
http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/bills/hb1275.htm.
SETDA names new executive team
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA)
has announced that Mary Ann Wolf, Ph.D. will lead SETDA after
the resignation of Melinda George in March. Wolf will be
responsible for leading the direction of the organization,
including policy recommendations regarding No Child Left Behind,
development of membership professional development services, and
sharing data about the Title II.D Enhancing Education through
Technology grant program to federal policy-makers. She will also
continue working with key partners to emphasize the role of
educational technology in data and accountability, teacher
quality, and student achievement. Sara Hall, who was SETDA's
director of strategic relations, will take over for Wolf as
SETDA's deputy executive director where she will further develop
the organization's corporate partnership program, tools and
resources, conferences, and partnerships. See:
http://newsletters.101com.com/c.asp?id=606005&l=3&c=d423c46a19d8f4f0
Rulemaking opened under Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Copyright Office of the Library
of Congress will be holding public hearings on the possible
exemptions to the prohibition against circumvention of
technological measures that control access to copyrighted works.
In accordance with the Copyright Act, as amended by the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, the Office is conducting its
triennial rulemaking proceeding to determine whether there are
particular “classes of works” as to which users are, or are
likely to be, adversely affected in their ability to make
non-infringing uses if they are prohibited from circumventing
such technological measures. Hearings are scheduled in
late-March and early-April, with the next rule to be issued in
October. See:
http://www.copyright.gov/newsnet/.
If the Department continued with the 50-50 split, the majority of the
formula grant amounts would be small. Nine of ten districts would receive
formula amounts of less than $5,000, with seventy percent receiving amounts of
less than $2,000 -- hardly enough to cover the total cost of owning and using
one computer. Even at last year’s nearly-full funding level, about 60 districts
transferred all of their Title II.D funding to other programs, with many citing
the small grant size as the reason.
In March, MOREnet and Department staffs issued a joint statement that,
assuming no changes to the appropriation, district user fees for the
FY07 Technology Network Program (TNP) will be at the same level as used
this year. The only exception is an additional fee of $1,125 for
districts with tail circuits at or above 10Mb. To review the proposed
fee schedule for 2006-07, visit the MOREnet web site at:
http://www.more.net/programs/k12tnp/feeschedule07.html
Applications should propose new projects that focus on intervention
projects, with emphases on pull-out or alternative school programs that
serve most in need students. First-year applications are competitive.
(Depending on future funding of the program and successful
implementation of the project, grants may be renewed for a second and
third year of funding.) A district may request up to $100,000 in state
funds for a Year 1 project; a consortium of two districts can request up
to $200,000; and a consortium of three or more districts can request up
to $300,000. Year 1 applications are due April 15, 2006. As in the past,
there will be a district match requirement that increases each year of
funding. For more information, visit the website at:
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/safeschools/
Technology
Data Collection
NATIONAL NEWS
E-RATE PROGRAM
Funding Year 2006 News
On March 20, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) reported to the Federal Communications Commission that $3.55 billion in requested funding has been estimated for schools and libraries seeking discounts for Funding Year 2006 (July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007). This estimate is based on the dollars requested in 39,416 applications received or postmarked by February 16, 2006, the close of the Form 471 application filing window. The estimate represents a decrease of nearly $100 million (2.7 percent) from the estimated demand for FY 2005 of $3.65. Estimated demand for Priority One funding (telecommunications services and Internet access) is $1.69 billion, an increase of 7.7 percent, while estimated demand for Priority Two funding (internal connections other than basic maintenance of internal connections) is $1.86 billion, a decrease of 10.5 percent. Estimated demand for Priority Two services at the 90 percent discount rate increased by $14 million (1.9 percent), to a total of $755 million. See: http://www.universalservice.org/sl/.
| Funding Year 2005 News |
USAC released Wave 41 funding commitment letters on March 29 and will release Wave 42 on April 4. These waves include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance funding requests down to the 88% discount level. As of March 29, nearly 30,000 FY2005 commitment letters have been issued, totaling $1.481 billion. |
ED TECH RESEARCH, PUBLICATION, RESOURCES, SPECIAL EVENT |
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ISTE publishes NETS*S: Resources for Student Assessment Newly published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), this new book is as comprehensive guide for measuring students’ ability to use technology effectively for learning. “Although many kids today are surfing the Web, instant messaging their friends, and blogging and gaming, some still many not be developing skills necessary for educational, career, and civic success in the 21st century.” To learn more about and order this resource, visit the ISTE website at: http://www.iste.org/eseries/source/Orders/isteProductDetail.cfm?product_code=netssa. CoSN offers free online self-assessment tool regarding accessible technologies The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) announced the new Accessible Technologies Self-assessment Tool which allows district leaders to gauge progress in incorporating assistive and instructional technologies. After completing the online assessment, users receive advice, information, and resources, based on their responses, as to how their districts can better use accessible technologies in the education of their students. The tool assesses six critical factors: vision, communication and collaboration, funding, professional development and awareness, infrastructure, and instruction and assessment. The tool, free for use by the public, is located at: http://www.accessibletech4all.org/self_assessment/. CoSN’s Accessible Technologies for All Students Project is a leadership initiative aimed at increasing achievement and success for all students through the unlimited and effective use of accessible technologies. Other resources related to accessibility include:
21st-Century Literacy Study Promotes Participation in Digital Culture Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Henry Jenkins, in a February presentation at an annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), stated children need to participate fully in digital culture in order to develop the “skills, knowledge, ethical frameworks and self-confidence need to be full participants in the world around them.” Jenkins, director of the Comparative Media Studies Program and principal investigator for the New Media Literacies project, presented early research findings, focusing on 21st-century literacy that is based on the ability to read and write and includes the digital skills to participate socially and collaboratively in the new media environment. Contrasting passive media consumption (e.g., television) with the activities of digital culture, the new literacies support creativity and enable collaboration and knowledge-sharing with large-scale communities. For more information about this research, see: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2006/jenkins-0315.html. The 21st-century literacies or 21st-century skills movement is gathering momentum. One example is the recent Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC) where speakers called for new instructional strategies and literacies. Read how nationally recognized experts and ed tech leaders respond to the questions: How can educators keep up with the “digital natives,” today’s generation of youth who were raised in a world of information technology and to whom it therefore comes naturally? And, perhaps more importantly, how can educators prepare all students for the challenges of an increasingly global workforce and society, regardless of their socio-economic background or abilities? See http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/PFshowstory.cfm?ArticleID=6220 to read eSchool News’ cover story. See the FETC website at http://www.fetc.org/ to read about the speakers and session presentations and to access virtual handouts. NCES Releases school staffing survey report
The National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES) in the Institute of Education Sciences yesterday
released its first report containing data from the 2003-04 Schools
and Staffing Survey (SASS), the nation’s most extensive sample
survey of schools and the teachers and administrators who staff
them. The report, “Characteristics of Schools, Districts, Teachers,
Principals, and School Libraries in the United States," covers
public, private, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. To download,
view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006313. |
MISSOURI SCHOOLS AND PROJECTS IN THE NEWS |
NetDay Speak Up is a national initiative of Project Tomorrow, the new nonprofit organization formed with the merger of NetDay and Project Tomorrow in September 2005. The mission of the new combined organization is to support and promote the effective and appropriate use of science, math and technology resources in K–12 education so that every student has the opportunity to fully participate in today’s global economy and community. We are dedicated to preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and engaged citizens. |
e-Learning for Educators: Missouri Update
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MORENET UPDATE
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While presenters
whose proposals are accepted must register for the conference,
registration
fees will be waived for one presenter per accepted presentation
proposal. |
eMINTS UPDATE
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eMINTS QUESTION OF THE MONTH |
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COPYRIGHT QUESTION OF THE MONTH |
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UPCOMING 2006 CONFERENCES |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
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INTERNET SITES OF INTEREST |
FREE ResourcesPractice Games For Testing Weeks http://www.funattic.com/game_learning.htm Find several suggestions here to help you prepare your students for standardized testing, but in a fun way. All games will reinforce math and language arts concepts without the drills. Memory Games: http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/chmemory.html Two of the ways you can help improve your students' test scores is to get them to think analytically about their potential questions, and to help them improve their retention and recall. There are numerous learning games offered here to help you achieve these goals, with both online and printable resources available. |
eTHEMES |
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| The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to Department programs may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Title IX Coordinator, 5th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0480; Telephone number 573-751-4212. |
Revised: August 09, 2007