Texas STaR Chart

In order to meet standards provided in the Long Range Plan for Technology, schools undergo a yearly assessment. The STaR Chart evaluates areas of technology application such as: teaching and learning, educator preparation, administration and support and infrastructure. The examination provides comparative data with schools from year to year and state wide progression. All of the data can also be reviewed in light of the Long Range Plan for Technology. In order to better understand the process, I will describe a key area, discuss the progress in the area, identify trends on the state and local level, and provide recommendations for targeting goals.

Educator preparation is a significant key area. It is the interactive process between educators and administration that dynamically challenges and supports educators in creating instruction that is real life, meaningful and engaging for students through technology applications. The ideal educator preparation includes 100% of instructors meeting SBEC standards. The budget is prioritized to distribute 30% of funding for professional development. There are significant online resources provided at all times for teacher learning. Educators utilize technology when teaching all areas and subjects. There is a vertical alignment of technology applications TEKS available for all grades online.

Santa Fe High school has been labeled Developing Technology in the area of educator preparation for the last three STaR Chart assessments. This is in line with the majority of schools according to the Campus Statewide Summary by Key Area. According to the summary, 74.2% of schools fall into the same category. Schools have not made the transition to a greater allotment of budget for professional development, increased the number of professionals meet SBEC standards and have not fully integrated technology applications into classroom instruction. Professional development would also need to be provided all the time online for significant improvement in meeting the needs of teachers.

The local trend is improving this year over last. The improvements are in the areas of models for professional development and educator capabilities. As technology tools increase, teachers feel more prepared and able to teach and utilize technology. Our district just passed a multi-million dollar bond to provide greater technology applications, training, tools and support for campuses. This will significantly increase teacher capabilities for technological use and integration into instruction. The state numbers tend to be increasing as well. As districts become more aware of the standards for technology, resources and training become for widely available. This is also true nationally. The awareness increases the urgency for technology applications to provide real world learning for students.

In order improve the scores for Educator Preparation and Development, our campus needs to first embark on a campaign to have all our teachers meet SBEC standards by a goal date. Give teachers information about the process to meet standards and provide an incentive for completion. Our administration must create a budget that better supports professional development. This process has been increasing dramatically over the past three years. Due to the involvement in National Staff Development Council, our staff is regularly attending events that energize and empower teachers to spread a passion for lifelong learning. Finally, teachers need to know how to integrate technology in their classrooms for all assignments. Tools should be readily available online to aid in this process. Purchasing a subscription for teachers to find support would be a monumental service to teachers.