Technology Blueprint School Board Expected to Approve 5-Year Road Map

At tonight's School Board meeting, the board is expected to approve a proposed five-year strategic plan developed to serve as a road map for where the school system should be in terms of technology.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the auditorium at the School Board Administration Building at 1701 Prudential Drive.

The plan establishes a goal of placing four computers, a printer and a teacher's laptop in every classroom. The plan was developed over a two-year period with input from parents, educators and community leaders.

The school system would need roughly $240 million to implement the entire plan, said Scott Futrell, executive director for technology. Currently there is about $47 million set aside for technology needs. The school system's total budget is about $1.2 billion.

"The plan is a road map," Futrell said. "It sets the vision for where funding resources should be placed. It will change because technology always changes, but it creates the road we need to follow."

The policy guides the school system through dealing with infrastructure, equity and access, curriculum, professional development, technological support and the use of business and community partnerships.

While the majority of the policy focuses on establishing a vision, it includes an operational plan that is currently being implemented and should be finished in 2001.

The plan focuses on five areas:

Implement technology in all standard high schools.

Equip Frank H. Peterson and A. Philip Randolph academies of technology and Raines High School with additional technology to support the vocational programs.

Provide high quality technology support to science teachers.

Provide Internet access to every school and implement e-mail to all principals.

Provide the maintenance and support for the above initiatives.

When complete, all high school classrooms will have four computers and teachers will receive a laptop, Futrell said. And each high school will have a T1 line, a high-speed data line that allows quick access to the Internet. Raines High School is the only one to have this technology.

Superintendent John Fryer said it was time to shift technology focus to the high schools. Emphasis had been on low-performing elementary and middle schools that received low scores on statewide exams.