Newsline

Deborah S. Sutton, Director  
Claranne Vogel, Supervisor 
Lisa Walters, Library Media and
     Technology Consultant
Rosalyn Wieberg, Supervisor
Shirley Brumley, Administrative Assistant

                             In This Issue . . .

 Instructional Technology Update
 Missouri “Smart Buy” Program
 Ed Tech Research, Publications, Resources
 eMINTS Program News
 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference
 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference
      Web Seminar (Live Event)
 Security Symposium
 Additional Internet Bandwidth Available to
      K-12 Schools
 New Website, Grants.Gov, Offers One Stop
      Service for Applying for Federal Grants
 Free Videoconferences From the Baseball
      Hall of Fame
 Lewis and Clark Then and Now
 Are You a Technology Leader?
 Missouri Schools and Programs in the News
 eMINTS Questions of the Month
 Copyright Question of the Month
 Grant Writing Tips
 Grant Funding Opportunities
 Mark Your Calendar
 Upcoming 2004-2005 Conferences
 From the Mailbag
 Internet Sites of Interest

  Instructional Technology Update

Budgets / Grant Programs

New Missouri State Law
The 2004 General Assembly enacted a state law regarding the posting of district policies on district websites. The Department’s School Laws and Legislation section addressed this action during the August conference for school administrators. 

Senate Bill 968
Section 3 of SB 968 provides that if a school district hosts a web site, that district shall post both a current version of that district's policy manual and a current version of that district’s handbook(s). The Department is advising districts to post, at minimum, any policies to which students, parents, or patrons would be held accountable. Note that the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) is offering to convert current policies into a web-based format for a minimal charge.  

Missouri Technology Acquisition Grant (TAG) Program
After years of steady funding, at roughly $12 million, the TAG formula grant program was reduced to under $8 million in FY03 and not budgeted at all for FY04. The Department plans to submit a request to the 2005 General Assembly for $5 million to re-instate the TAG Program for 2005-2006.  

Missouri Safe Schools & Pilot Safe Schools Grants Program
Districts, particularly those receiving a Pilot Schools or a Safe Schools grant, are reminded of the Missouri Association for Alternative Education (MAAE) annual conference October 29-30, at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri. The 2004 Conference: Kindling the Spirit will offer a slate of presentations covering a wide variety of topics of alternative education and serving at-risk students. To submit a proposal or learn more about the conference, visit: http://maae.info/.  

A national conference opportunity -- The 2004 National Summit on Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management for Schools, being held October 18-19 at the Radisson Barceló Hotel in Washington, DC, will help faculty develop strategies to design, implement and improve school Emergency Preparedness Plans. This conference will discuss how to build and coordinate a team consisting of school personnel, public safety officials, psychologists and members of the community, present proven emergency planning models, and assist schools in drafting all-inclusive plans and comply with Title IV. For more information, or to view a full agenda, please contact Shawn Keeley at Keeley@performanceweb.org. 

Federal Title II.D “Ed Tech” Program
There isn’t any “news” regarding current programs; however, there has been recent Congressional activity that would impact next year’s funding. Per a recent SETDA news bulletin: 

House Appropriations Bill Cuts $91 Million From the Education Technology Block Grant –
On July 8, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS and Education approved a FY05 spending bill that would cut $91.8 million from the Education Technology Block Grant, leaving the program with $600 million in approved funding for FY05. The Subcommittee's bill would also eliminate all funding for the Community Technology Centers, Star Schools and Preparing Tomorrows' Teachers to Use Technology program. Overall, education technology programs would sustain $120 million in cuts over last year. The sole bright spot in the bill for education technology was the statewide database program, which, for the first time, would receive an appropriation of $30 million. Those funds would go towards a competitive grant program from which states can receive funds to develop longitudinal databases to assist with the implementation of No Child Left Behind. 

Other major winners in the bill included Title I and IDEA, both of which received a $1 billion increase, and the Math/Science Partnerships program which saw a near doubling of its funding over last year. One program particularly hard hit by cuts was the Comprehensive School Reform program, which lost nearly two-thirds of its funding over last year.    

The full House Appropriations Committee passed this version later in July, but the House floor has not yet acted. That should happen in September, following the six-week August recess, and will largely be determined by how long it takes to work through the 9/11 initiatives package. The Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittees have not yet begun to mark-up their versions of FY05 spending bills and will not do so until at least September. 

At this point, it is unclear what the full ramifications of this appropriations language and cuts will be and it is unclear how the Senate will respond. However, it is quite clear that the potential outcome for education technology does not look good. Possible scenarios for what might occur include:

• The Senate accepts the House’s cuts and the block grant sustains a $91 million hit.

• The Senate restores the funding in the Senate version but then has to compromise or split the difference in conference – the block grant most likely sustains a substantial hit.

• The Senate decides not to take up the Labor, HHS, Appropriations bill and we operate under a continuing resolution (CR) with level funding from this year.  How long would the CR last?  Until after the election? Throughout the next year?

• The Administration and/or House and/or Senate change leadership and all programs are up for grabs.  However, the block grant has been marked for a cut and therefore, it could be suggested again in a future session of Congress.

Census of Technology 

2004 COT Data Collection and Reporting
Last month it was reported that all but a few districts had completed the COT, with most of the missing data relating to building-level details. Instructional Technology contacted these districts and all data should be in soon. However, a glitch has prevented some of the building-level data from being transferred to the data warehouse. The problem is being corrected and Instructional Technology should soon be able to start tabulating building responses and complete the statewide report. 

2005 COT Item Review
The Department has already begun looking at next year’s data collection and is pleased to report plans to eliminate approximately another 25 percent of the items. The 2005 core data screens (30 and 31) will address around 30 items instead of the 43 asked in 2004 and the more than 70 items asked in 2001 and 2002. Draft [Word] documents should be available for review by October. Contact Instructional Technology if you are interested in participating in this review process.  

E-rate Program

SLD temporarily suspends issuance of funding commitment decision letters (FCDLs)
On August 19, it was announced that, as a result of the USAC being directed by the FCC to move governmental accounting standards by October 1, the SLD has not issued FCDLs for any Funding year since August 3, 2004, and will be temporarily suspending further issuance of such letters. USAC is working with the FCC to resolve these issues and, once that happens, will resume issuing commitment letters. In the meantime, SLD is continuing to review applications so they will be in a position to issue FCDLs when the matter is resolved. USAC expects the issue to be resolved in the near future. 

FCC releases Fifth Report and Order
The FCC’s new E-rate rules (the Fifth Report and Order – FCC 04-190) were released on Friday, August 13^th. The new Order deals with four major topics: the recovery of funds disbursed in violation of program rules, five-year document retention requirements, technology plan requirements, and new form certifications. A copy of the full Order is available at http://www.e-ratecentral.com/. See related article at:  http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5215. Details regarding technology plan requirement changes are addressed later in this newsletter.  

E-Rate assistance offer to Missouri E-rate applicants
Source: Jeanne Sullivan, MOREnet
Funds for Learning, LLC, providers of the free web-based tool called E-rate Manager SL, has a special offer to Missouri E-rate applicants with regards to their E-rate Manager SL+ service. E-rate Manager SL is designed to assist E-rate applicants with the management of their funding commitments. The free tool can be accessed online at http://www.eratemanager.com and clicking on "Register" on the left hand side of the screen to request an activation code. An add-on product called E-rate Manager SL+ provides, for a small annual fee, archive and asset management capability. A discounted subscription for the first year on E-rate Manager SL+ is being offered to Missouri E-rate applicants through October 31, 2004, with a subscription price of $70 instead of the regular $99. Ordering information is available at http://www.eratemanager.com/MOREnet. If you have any questions about E-rate Manager or on ordering please contact Peter Kaplan at 703-351-5070 or e-mail pkaplan@fundsforlearning.com. 

District Technology Plan Approval   

FCC Fifth Report and Order – FCC 04-190
Section C of the Report and Order discusses changes to the timing, content, and approval of district technology plans, as detailed below. Note that Missouri schools with plans approved by the Department would meet these requirements.

Timing – applicants are expected to develop a technology plan prior to requesting bids on services in FCC Form 470. Applicants with plans that have not yet been approved when they file Form 470 must certify that they understand their technology plans must be approved prior to commencement of service, and applicants must certify on Form 486 that the technology plans on which they based their purchases were approved before they began to receive service. This revision permits applicants to meet technology plan requirements as long as technology plans will be approved before receiving service. 

Content – technology plans should focus on ensuring that technologies are used effectively to achieve educational goals (rather than assuming a greater role in monitoring the procurement process or act as preliminary RFPs), meet technology planning goals and requirements of the Enhancing Education Through Technology (Title II.D) Program, and demonstrate capacity to secure the necessary resources required to utilize e-rate discounts.  

Approval – the FCC modified rules to address non-public schools that are not eligible to secure approval of their technology plans from their states, by permitting such schools to obtain approval from USAC-certified entities. 

2005 District tech plan approval process
On August 23, Instructional Technology mailed letters to the 16 Missouri school districts that need to submit new district education technology plans for state approval in 2005 – and to the more than 450 districts with plans scheduled for approval in 2006. Letters explained that the scoring guide used the last three years to approve plans has been updated, detailed the submission process for having plans approved, and explained why a district should elect to submit a plan for approval in 2005 rather than wait until 2006. Related to the E-rate discussion above, if a school “desires to order services beyond the scope of its existing technology plan, it needs to prepare and seek timely approval of an appropriately revised technology plan”. Other reasons for early submission of a plan for state approval include: the district has a new comprehensive school improvement plan that necessitates changes to the technology plan approved in 2003, has already completed most of the action plans and implementation strategies detailed in the 2003 plan, and/or has experienced significant changes in personnel, academic performance standings, technology holdings, technical capacity, and the like, that necessitate a new or revised plan.

  Ed Tech Research, Publications, Resources  

ED gives preview of new ed tech plan
Student data management, online assessment, and eLearning will be key issues in the next national educational technology plan presented to Congress by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), according to Susan Patrick, director of the department's Office of Educational Technology. Expected to be released at the end of September, the new ed tech plan will continue the shift from counting the number of computers in each classroom to improving student achievement with technology. Consisting of a 20-page document, case studies, and an array of web resources, the new plan will examine where educational technology stands today, who today's students are, and what they expect from their education. It also will provide a roadmap with approximately seven steps that educators and policy makers should take to use technology to improve leadership and student learning. Source: eSchool News online, August 30, 2004. See article: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5227.

Facilitating school reform: case for “ed technologist”
According to Judith Davidson (University of Massachusetts at Lowell) much of the comprehensive school reform movement has paid close attention to the respective roles of teachers and principals, and that relatively little attention to the influence of school-based educational technologist.  She examined more than six years of research data from studies of networked technology integration in one K-12 system; she examined the emergence of the educational technology specialist, a position responsible for the integration of curriculum and technology within the schools, that fast became a central focus of the work.  Davidson claims that the emergence of the this staff position has "served as a catalyst for the vertical reorganization of the social hierarchy within the schools, meaning that its growing presence challenged and reshaped traditional role definitions of teacher, administrator, and specialist."  See: http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=11138  

Resources on using data for professional development
Now more than ever, school districts and state education agencies are crunching test numbers to determine what students are learning, where they are failing, and how schools need to work differently. Much of this is being done for accountability purposes and to determine if schools are meeting federal requirements for "adequate yearly progress." The NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE) website includes a research brief "Using Data about Classroom Practice and Student Work to Improve Professional Development for Educators" and an extensive list of online resources that can help schools use data to raise achievement and improve teaching.

Free! New Generation Y student CD
The fourth annual Generation Y student CD provides numerous examples of technology-infused lessons created by Gen Y students and their partner teachers during the 2003-04 school year. Every project features the full project description, procedures, lesson objectives, state standards addressed and contains an accompanying video. For a free copy, visit http://www.genyes.org/scripts/cd_request.php.  

New guide on using technology for students with disabilities
NSBA's ITTE: Education Technology Programs released "Technology for Students with Disabilities: A School Leader's Resource Guide." The guide is designed to give school board members, superintendents, technology coordinators, and other educators authoritative and practical advice on a broad range of issues, including supporting teaching and learning with assistive technology; funding assistive technology  programs; and, understanding the legal and regulatory context. The guide can be purchased at
https://secure.nsba.org/pubs/item_info.cfm?ID=714  

QED releases 2004-2005 Technology Purchase Forecast
Wireless technology continues to be a major investment for school districts in the United States, enabling them to deliver resources such as instructional software and the Internet to more students in a cost effective and convenient manner. This is a key finding of the 2004-2005 Technology Purchasing Forecast, 10th edition by Quality Education Data, Inc. (QED), an education market research and database firm. According to the report, about half of the school districts in the United States have portable wireless labs on carts (or COWs), and more than 30% of districts surveyed plan to purchase such technology during the 2004-2005 school year. In addition, nearly 14% of schools currently own wireless desktop or laptop instructional computers and 23% plan to invest in this technology in 2004-2005. The report can be purchased at http://www.qeddata.com.  

Free online guide helps teachers evaluate classroom science resources
Developed by the Center for Science Education at the nonprofit Education Development Center in Newton, Mass., this free online guide is intended to help high-school science teachers evaluate the vast array of learning resources available on CD-ROM and the Internet. Called "Selecting Computer-Based High School Science Curricula: A Guide for Teachers," the resource confronts the challenge of using technology to enhance classroom science instruction. The guide provides a series of prescribed questions for educators to consider as they review computer-based materials. The questions cover four key educational areas: student learning, teaching and professional development, equity, and feasibility. Profiled are 12 electronic learning tools. See: http://cse.edc.org/products/selectingcomputerbased 


  eMINTS Program News
--Submitted by Monica Beglau, Director, eMINTS National Center 

Changes and additions have been the order of the day this summer for the eMINTS National Center.  As the eMINTS program has grown over the past few months, several changes have occurred with staffing.

Cindy Matzat, AIS from Area 2, has left the eMINTS program to work in the Branson School District.  She will be deeply missed but will be continuing her eMINTS work as an LMS and eMINTS instructional specialist in the district. 

            Roxanne Kerwood-former West Cluster CIS- has taken Cindy’s place as AIS for that Area. 

            Lorie Kaplan-former Central Cluster CIS-has taken a new position as eMINTS Program Coordinator working out of the Columbia office. 

The following new Cluster Instructional Specialist have joined the program since July 26:
West Cluster - Evelyn Jones
Southeast Cluster - Carmen Marty (joining Julie Szaj)
Bootheel Cluster - Michele Smith (joining Gayle Cantrell)
Southwest Cluster - Brook Higgins (joining Ruth Henslee and Julie Phelps)
Central Cluster - Angie Esser (joining Christie McKenzie)

eMINTS welcomes these new staff members (several of them are former eMINTS teachers) as the program continues to support educators in Missouri and across the United States. 

eMINTS schools and districts received awards, including grants, over the summer: 

• The St. Louis City School District was recently notified of an $8.4 million grant to implement the eMINTS program in a number of magnet schools in the district.  This three-year grant will add up to 100 new eMINTS classrooms over the grant period. 
• The Sullivan School District’s eMINTS Instructional Specialist Karen Largent and eMINTS teacher Sharon Sumner worked with the ALTEC (Advanced Learning Technologies in Education Consortium) from the University of Kansas to create an Exhibit for the ALTEC Learning Interchange.  The Exhibit features the lesson plan of 5^th grade eMINTS teacher Carol Nowack on animal food chains.  To hear these Sullivan educators talk about their eMINTS implementation and the animal food chain lesson go to: http://ali.apple.com/ali_sites/hpli/exhibits/1001333/Introduction.html Congratulations on your work with ALTEC and many thanks for your representation of the eMINTS program.
• Bunker School District was awarded a Comprehensive School Reform grant to expand the eMINTS program into grade 7-12.
• Three elementary schools in the St. Lois City District received Comprehensive School Reform grants to implement the eMINTS program.  Ashland, Woodward and Clay Elementary schools.
• The Bolivar School District received notification that their eMINTS program will be featured at the National School Board Association Technology + Learning Conference Education Excellence Fair in Denver, CO October 27-29.  The Bolivar program includes participation in the PD4ETS program and the eMINTS classrooms grades 3-5.  The district is also to be featured in an upcoming issue of the Springfield News Leader.

  2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

The 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference: Exploring Technology is scheduled for October 3-5, 2004 at Tan-Tar-A in Osage Beach, Missouri. This year's conference attendees will see enhancements that align with high-quality professional development standards, resulting in a more meaningful experience for all participants. Enhancements include a new, standardized strand format, a variety of session lengths and sessions that encourage more in-depth, hands-on and ongoing study, practice and discussion. 

The conference offers a variety of program sessions organized into 15 themes that range from 7 to 12 hours. Attend a specific theme for a rich experience promoting more in-depth discussion and participant networking that likely will extend beyond the conference, or select individual sessions from a variety of themes for a broader conference experience.  

Complete session descriptions will be available on the conference website in early August (http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2004/ ). 

The Exhibitor Fair will again be expanded to occur during the first two days of the conference (October 3 and 4). The Exhibitor Fair allows attendees to view and discuss the most current educational technologies available.  

The conference also offers an opportunity to experience student technology projects first hand. These projects are written and/or produced by students. The projects selected to exhibit will cover a wide-range of technologies and grade levels. Each attendee is encouraged to visit the Student Technology Showcase on Monday, October 4, in Windgate Hall.  

The conference registration fees include meals, admission to breakout sessions and the exhibitor fair. Pre-conference costs for Sunday are $75. Monday and Tuesday only costs $225. Three-day registration costs $300. After online registration closes Sept. 24, a $10 late fee will be assessed. Payment must be received within five working days of the submission date of your online registration or the registration will be cancelled. 

The conference website is available at http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2004/ . Please contact Sandra Monnig, Conference Coordinator, if you have any questions regarding the conference, registration procedures, scheduling, or if you have needs that require specific assistance.  

We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
 

 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference Web Seminar (Live Event)
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

MOREnet has scheduled a Web Seminar on the 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference for Wednesday, September 8, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registration is required to participate. 

Join the conference organizers from MOREnet for an interactive peek at what this year's fall conference holds for attendees. If you have been to past conferences, you'll want to know about the new enhancements. If you are thinking of attending for the first time, get the details to make your conference experience a successful one. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions directly and receive immediate answers. 

This session is being provided online via MOREnet's new e-Conferencing service powered by Centra. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection, a Web browser like Internet Explorer and speakers or a headphone to hear the conversation. You may also want to have a microphone available to ask questions. If that's not possible, you can still type your questions and receive feedback. 

Besides learning about conference highlights, you'll receive first-hand experience with this fun, new tool. On top of all that, this session is free. To register go to http://www.more.net
 

  Security Symposium
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

On December 6-7, 2004, MOREnet will host the 2004 Advanced Technical Security Symposium at the MOREnet training facilities in Columbia, Missouri. The Advanced Technical Security Symposium brings a diverse group of professionals from across the Missouri public sector who are involved with and interested in computer security issues. Conference attendees are from Missouri state government, community information networks, public libraries, higher education and K-12 schools. 

The Symposium reflects a growing movement to pool information and resources to combat a common threat. Computer security issues, both network and host, are critical to any entity on the Internet. New questions emerge on a daily basis covering issues ranging from legal and technical to policy and staffing issues. Join the Symposium and share! 

Presentation proposals are being accepted until September 27, 2004. MOREnet request presentation submissions that cover novel and practical ways to implement security solutions in very diverse networks environments.  See http://www.more.net/conferences/symposium2004/  for more information details.  The online proposal form is available online at http://www.more.net/conferences/symposium2004/presentation-submit.html .
 

 Additional Internet Bandwidth Available to K-12 Schools
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

Now in its second year as a MOREnet K-12 Technology Network Program service, each participating school district is eligible to receive the additional bandwidth necessary to carry out its educational activities for no additional cost. Districts that fully utilize their current bandwidth may have their bandwidth increased up to 20 Mbps.  

This benefit of the MOREnet K-12 Technology Network Program allows districts to enhance and grow their services and offerings without having to sacrifice performance or worry about the current bandwidth.   

Contact Eric Nicklas at eric@more.net  (573-882-9785) for information regarding increasing bandwidth to your school district.
 

 New Website, Grants.gov, Offers One-Stop Service for Applying for Federal Grants

The federal government has launched a single, comprehensive website that contains information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs.  The website, Grants.gov, makes it easier for organizations as well as state and local agencies to learn about and apply for federal grants.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services led the development of the cross-agency website, which now has information on more than 900 available grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making agencies.  These agencies together award more than $350 billion annually in grant funds.

The site provides information in a standardized format across agencies and includes a “Find Grant Opportunities” feature.  The site also contains an “Apply for Grants” feature that greatly simplifies the application process by allowing applicants to download, complete and submit applications on-line.  This feature is especially important for entities that do not have access to high-speed Internet connections.  

Another source of federal grants available for review is the Federal Assistance Award Data System.  This system is managed by the U.S. Census Bureau and documents the majority of federal funding flowing into states and territories.  By comparing and contrasting funding by category to other states versus Missouri, this data system can assist in determining funding not previously sought.  While this data system does not notify you of future or current funding availability as does Grants.gov , it can help you identify specific funding opportunities previously awarded in other states.  It is not a guarantee of future funding availability or eligibility.
 

 Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities -- National Instructional
      Materials Accessibility Standard
      www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2004-3/081004c.html 

From the Federal Register: August 10, 2004 [CFDA# 84.327P]) – The purpose of this program is to: (1) improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media activities designed to be of educational value to children with disabilities; (3) provide support for some captioning and video description; and (4) provide cultural experiences through appropriate nonprofit organizations.
 

• Applications Available: August 10, 2004.

• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 9, 2004.

• Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.

• Estimated Available Funds: $650,000.

• Estimated Average Size of Awards: Development: $400,000; Technical assistance and dissemination: $250,000.

• Maximum Award: Development: $400,000; Technical assistance and dissemination: $250,000.  We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.  The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register         

• Estimated Number of Awards: 2.

Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice. Additional information is available online at: www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2004-3/081004c.html
 

 Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities -- Television Access
      www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2004-3/081004d.html 

From the Federal Register: August 10, 2004 [CFDA#   84.327C]) – The purpose of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities -- Television Access competition is to: (1) improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media activities designed to be of educational value to children with disabilities; (3) provide support for some captioning and video description; and (4) provide cultural experiences through appropriate nonprofit organizations.

• Applications Available: August 10, 2004.

• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 9, 2004.

• Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations

• Estimated Available Funds: $2,825,000.

• Estimated Average Size of Awards: Local News and Public Information Programs: $125,000;

• Accessible Children's Television Programs: $300,000.

• Maximum Award: Local News and Public Information Programs: $125,000; Accessible Children's Television Programs: $300,000.  We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.  The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

• Estimated Number of Awards: 14.

Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice.
 

  Free Videoconfereces From the Baseball Hall of Fame
--Submitted by Martha Bogart, Coordinator, Distance Learning, Cooperating School Districts  

                                                   BASEBALL AS AMERICA
                                                   Organized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY,                                              Sponsored by Ernst & Young  

                                                         This traveling exhibition opens December 19, 2004 at the Missouri History Museum in
                                                         Forest Park in St. Louis, MO; it closes April 24, 2005.

                                                         Admission Fees: Adults $8, Seniors $7, Students $4, Members and children under 6
                                                         receive free admission.

 The exhibition includes approximately 500 of the most precious artifacts from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY. Some of the highlights are Jackie Robinson's 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers jersey; a variety of items from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League; and record-setting bats from the McGwire-Sosa home run chase of 1998, as well as those of Babe Ruth and Roger Maris. Many priceless St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns artifacts are also featured in the exhibition. 

Baseball Hall of Fame Videoconferences 

In conjunction with this exhibit, CSD is pleased to offer two exciting videoconference options. You may choose either one, or both. These are FREE to New Links members: 

Preparation Session and Tour of Exhibition
Staff at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown will broadcast to your class (via videoconference) and prepare your students for a tour of the exhibition at the Missouri Historical Society. If your students decide to then go to the Missouri History Museum and view the exhibit, they will receive a 50 percent discount on the entry fee. In addition, one adult will receive a free admittance for every 10 students. 

Baseball Curriculum Units
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum offers ten thematic units, delivered via videoconference, covering women's history, character education, mathematics, geography, economics, U.S. history, technology, cultural diversity, the fine arts and communication arts (for a detailed description of each of the units, go to http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/education/units/default.htm). New Links to New Learning members may sign up for unlimited programs, but the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum requires two weeks advance notice. To sign up, contact Martha Bogart at mbogart@scd.org . Here is a list of the units available:

• American History: A Stitch In Time
• Character Education: Lou Gehrig — The Iron Horse
• Communication Arts: Going, Going, Gone!
• Cultural Diversity: Before You Could Say "Jackie Robinson"
• Economics: The Business of Baseball
• Fine Arts: Painting the Corners
• Geography: Baseball Coast To Coast
• Math: Batter Up!
• Technology: Baseball Grows Up
• Women's History: Dirt On Their Skirts

We will also be having a videoconference for teachers only on September 15 from 4:00-5:00pm.  This videoconference will introduce teachers to the videoconference units listed above so that they can make informed decisions about which one they want to choose.  FREE to New Links members.
 

  Lewis and Clark Then and Now
--Submitted by Martha Bogart, Coordinator, Distance Learning,Cooperating School Districts of St. Louis
mbogart@csd.org 

Lewis and Clark Then and Now is excited to announce its schedule of programming for the fall semester of the 2004-2005 school year.  As before, our schedule will include Live with Lewis segments while the Discovery Expedition is on the trail, Special Events, and Distance Learning Videoconferences.  Each program will be viewable live over our website (http://ali.apple.com/lewisandclark) at the date and time included below.  Don't forget that for each of our Distance Learning Videoconferences groups from four to six schools may join us via videoconference connection.  If you're interested in joining us as a videoconference school for any of those programs, just e-mail or call (314-773-6934) to find out if space is still available.  Preparatory materials are available for each videoconference whether you join us as a videoconference school or choose to participate over the web.  Agendas are also available a few days in advance for each of our Live with Lewis webcasts.  Thanks to the generosity and support of our sponsors and collaborators, there are no fees for your participation in any program.  As always, each program will be archived on the web site about a week after its live showing.

The Fall Schedule and a variety of other new features are now available on our updated web site.  We've summarized a few of the changes below.  Please check us out at http://ali.apple.com/lewisandclark. 

• Our Fall 2004 Distance Learning Schedule is now available.  Just click on "broadcast schedule" after arriving at our home page.  There you'll see the list of programs for the fall. Any hotlinked titles have additional details available in their web exhibits.  Just click on the title link to be taken to the exhibit for more details on content and the related learning activities, resources and standards pages. Be sure to check out the broadcast schedule often because we will be updating web exhibits regularly.
• Archived programs are now searchable by both chronology and curriculum. Just click on "archived broadcasts" after arriving at the home page.  Once there, you'll find more information about our archives (all programs are archived on the site) and see the links to take you to the archives themselves.  If you're interested in searching by date of webcast (most programs are related to locations and time frames of the expedition 200 years ago), click on "Archives Arranged by Chronology" and pick the time frame you want to peruse.  If you're interested in searching by curriculum content, click on "Archives Arranged by Curriculum."  Curriculum divisions reflect the wide variety of subjects covered in our programs and are organized into the following categories: social studies, United States history, science, mathematics, fine arts, language arts, practical arts, health, and foreign language.
• Our home page now has a link to the next webcast.  When you're ready to watch this Thursday for our Live with Lewis from Yankton, South Dakota, just go to our home page and click on this link to be taken to the streaming video page. Diane Norton will be joining us this week for a feature focus on bicentennial merchandise.
• Find more details about the format and content for our Live with Lewis segments, Special Event programs, and Distance Learning Videoconferences by clicking on the link "Types of Programming" which you'll now find on our home page.
• To learn more about how you and your students can participate in webcasts and videoconferences and other aspects of the project, just click on the "How to be Involved" link that you'll find on our home page.
• Looking for technical help to make sure your computer is ready to watch a webcast, and then click on the "Video Setup" link on our home page.
• Want to find out more about the project but not sure where to look, check out our "Frequently Asked Questions" page first by clicking on the FAQ link on our home page.
• As always, you can read Scott Mandrell's journals and see images from the trail by clicking on the "Reenactment Journals" link on the home page.

Thanks to each of you for your support of Lewis and Clark Then and Now.  Lewis and Clark Then and Now is co-sponsored by the School District of Clayton, Missouri and the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles.  Financial support is provided by a grant from the National Park Service Challenge Cost Share Program.

Additional national collaborators include: Missouri Historical Society, Cooperating School Districts of St. Louis, MOREnet, American Distance Education Consortium, Kappa Delta Pi, Ohio State University, OARnet, Polycom, KarlNet, Transportable Internet, Inc., Tachyon, Internet2, Peter Kiewit Institute, Buder Center for American Indian Studies, United States Army National Guard Bureau, the Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the St. Louis County Cable Television Public Educational Commission.
 

  Are You a Technology Leader?
www.techlearning.com.
                                                     You still have time to be recognized as an Ed Tech Leader by the most              
                                                     respected K-12 education technology publication in the business.
                                                     Technology & Learning's 2004 Ed Tech Leader of the Year program offers
                                                     FABULOUS opportunities.

•                                            Four finalists will be invited to be our guests at the NSBA T+L2 conference in Denver, CO on                                       October 27-29, 2004 (prize includes free airfare, lodging and conference registration).

• Finalists will each receive a HP Compaq Tablet PC tc1100.
• Each semifinalist will receive: a one-year subscription to Technology & Learning magazine, a personalized award certificate, and recognition in the December 2004 Awards Issue.
• Deadline: September 10, 2004

Click here to nominate yourself or a colleague to be Technology & Learning's 2004 Ed Tech Leader of the Year. Spread the word - Technology & Learning's 2004 Ed Tech Leader of the Year contest deadline is fast approaching! Don't miss out!
 

  Missouri Schools and Programs in the News

Bernie School District

Michele Carmode, district technology trainer and band director for Bernie High School in Bernie, MO was one of the 30 winners of the 2004 Inspired Teacher Scholarships for Visual Learning. This scholarship program supports professional development activities for educators in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities who champion the integration of visual learning and technology into the curriculum. Michele incorporates visual learning, including graphic organizers, into her music appreciation classes and presents workshops to help district teachers integrate visual learning techniques into their curriculum. Recipients use the $750 scholarships for a wide range of professional development activities. Congratulations Michele!

Cape Girardeau School District

Becky Hicks, second grade teacher at Barbara Blanchard Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, MO also received the 2004 Inspired Teacher Scholarships for Visual Learning.  Becky uses visual learning to teach everything from the concept of the water cycle to writing skills.  She shares information with her colleagues through workshops and inservices and also includes updates on her web page. Becky was one of two Missouri scholarship recipients.  Congratulations Becky!

  eMINTS Questions of the Month 

Q.   How can I help students who, when working in groups and on WebQuests, have difficulty proofreading their own work? They tend to substitute correct words, pauses, etc. when reading but do not see or correct their answers. 

A.  I think we all need good editors when we get ‘too close” to our work. I have the updates checked before I send them out. When I was teaching, I usually said that the students needed to print a copy of their written work for each member of the group. Then with everyone following along, the “author” read their work aloud. Often they would catch each other’s errors. I also had “policies” at times when everyone in the group would sign the written work so the group took ownership of the final edit not just the person entering the text. 

Before “publishing” their work I would often do another edit myself, but rather than marking up a copy of their work, I would read sections aloud to them and ask if they wanted to change anything. I exaggerated missing punctuation, etc. This let me know if it was an editing problem or if the students really didn’t know the correct rules or usage. (Jennifer Kuehnle)  

Q.  What are some other kinds of "products" my students can create besides PowerPoints to show they have learned something?

A.  eMINTS teachers are very creative in designing products that are meaningful for the specific curriculum goals that they have.  A PowerPoint is not always the best product. Here is a list of some other ideas:

• letter to parents or to the editor of the local paper
• ABC book illustrating something shared with younger grades
• living museum
• series of journal entries
• play
• radio show
• video tape
• poster or part of a bulletin board
• web page
• three dimensional display
• story
• email exchange about a certain topic
• paper mache model
• docent led tours of 3D projects that students have created
• design a device to solve a problem (either picture or model of the device)

There are many others.  If you are looking for an idea for a specific project the eMINTS list is a great resource for good ideas!  (Janice Friesen)
 

  Copyright Question of the Month 

Q.  May an educator (e.g., administrator, classroom teacher, substitute teacher, or student teacher) other district employee, volunteer, or others capture a web page using software or other means to be used in face-to-face instruction?  

A.  No There are several commercially-produced software applications that allow the capture of the entire web page and/or site.  The use of these applications may constitute a violation of copyright law as the software captures 100 percent of the web page. 
 

  Grant Writing Tips
http://techlearning.com/resources/grants.jhtml
Source:  Technology & Learning 

1. TIP:  Write realistic, measurable goals and objectives.  Project goals, objectives, and strategies for measuring progress almost always require some changes.  However, a carefully planned proposal will require less revision, saving you time and aggravation during program implementation.
    

2. NCLB TIP: No Child Left Behind requires schools to provide tutors to students not achieving academic targets.  Online instruction may be used to provide these supplemental tutoring services.  This approach may be particularly effective for students in remote areas, and may be funded through NCLB.
    

3. TIP:  Use reliable data.  It’s important to paint an accurate picture of the current state of affairs in your school, district, and/or community.  Use data that you know is accurate and up-to-date.  Include information about the challenges you face and the strengths your program will build on.
    

4. NCLB TIP:  Although individual entities such as Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are eligible to apply for No Child Left Behind funds, there are increased requirements that the school district be able to document partnerships with community-based agencies and institutions of higher learning.  Establish or broaden these relationships now to maintain eligibility for funding.
    

5. TIP:  Define your needs and explain how they were identified.  Good proposals include succinct descriptions of the needs that will be met.  They also clearly explain the processes and data used to identify these needs.  This shows readers you’ve done your homework.
    

6. NCLB TIP:  Increased teacher quality is an important issue in No Child Left Behind legislation.  Online training for teachers is a strategy that may be funded using NCLB dollars.

  Grant Funding Opportunities           

Source:  Technology & Learning
For descriptions of the individual grants, go to the www.techlearning.com/grants.html