Blog Posting #2: Progress Report on Texas Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020
The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 was created in order to address the needs of the 21st century learner. The Plan is divided into four key areas: teaching and learning, educator preparation and development, leadership, administration and instructional support, and infrastructure. Technology is being integrated into the curriculum. Districts have access to online learning, digital content and online professional development. These are all excellent tools that are available to teachers in order to put technology into the hands of the students. Project Share is allowing teachers to access to digital information that is being stored in online repositories making these assessable no matter where the school is located. The Texas STaR chart provides a tool for schools and districts to update their own long-range plans based on identified needs. The data collected from the STaR charts is used when districts are applying for technology grants. It provides the documentation necessary to support the grant application. The state and local districts have provided significant funding in the last few years to provide hardware and software to strengthen the technology infrastructure within our school systems. The Progress Report for the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2010 shows that great strides have been made in the state of Texas in the area of Technology Education. Teachers are using more technology in the classroom, the students are using the various applications to improve their own learning, the administrations in the local schools and districts are creating and implementing plans for technology integration and the technology infrastructure are being strengthened. While there is still work to be done, we are making great strides.

Citation:
Texas Education Agency, 2010 Progress report on the long-range plan for technology, 2006-2020, 2010