currentstateplan

The Current State Plan:

Our current plan, the one that all of you assisted with in 2008-09, has had a number of successes. I want to just recap that a bit here so you don't feel that you have to go over the entire thing.

We created small "vignettes" for each area, they will need updating or elimination from the next one. Your thoughts on that would be appreciated. I think they served a decent purpose, but perhaps the examples need some more forward thinking.

The Plan was broken into 5 overarching Goals: Each goal area had two sections.. A "DOE will" section and a "SU will" section...
 * Student Centered Learning
 * Leadership in a student centered learning environment
 * Flexible Learning Environments
 * Engaged Community Partners
 * Effective Local Tech Plan Evaluation

Here is a little recap and what I believe has been accomplished..you may want to refer to the plan document as you review this list...

Student Centered Learning: Ongoing in that area are PD efforts and helping schools define student centered learning, still more work needed.
 * Adoption of NETS 2007 completed as well as update to the Vermont GE's in Ed tech.
 * Providing grants for local one to one programs, the e-Learning grant also made some successes with how these are implemented.

Leadership in student centered learning environments This area continues to have significant need in the state...
 * Some successes in partnering with VSA, VPA, VSBA on building quality ed tech programs.
 * Grant funds provided some mechanisms to impact leadership, principally through the DOTS program.
 * Continued discussion of Transformation as related to ed tech. is ongoing

Flexible Learning Environments We can always create more areas of opportunity for learning.
 * LNV is growing and viable, with more uses being envisioned for other state agencies and organizations including local museums and non profits.
 * Broadband direction has been fostered from DOE with the acquisition of ENA as a managed broadband provider, also the stimulus funding sources that brought about the two stimulus package initiatives from VTEL and Sovernet.
 * Vermont Virtual has fulfilled a significant part of our commitment to providing online courses. This work has also helped to expand opportunities across the board for many schools.

Engaged Community Partners This one was perhaps a bit nebulous but we had some success with it... it is an area that could see an increase in activities for our next round...
 * Work progressing with LNV creating partnerships in local communities and with state agencies.
 * Some grant programs addressed this..

Local Plan Evaluation:
 * This could receive more focused attention from DOE on this round if the process were more automated. Is this a process that schools would revisit year to year? (I think I know the answer, but are there ways you see this changing?)

Anyways.. that is a quick review of what I feel from the DOE perspective we put some work and funding behind.

Here are a couple of areas that I identify as need for moving forward....

More leadership work is needed. DOTS has made a start on this and that has been significant. Our partnerships with VSA, VPA, etc. have led to some good outcomes and I am tasked with a report to legislature in January to address some of the areas we have been successful at across the board.

1:1 computing and addressing some sort of universal access. Heather C. has made great strides in this with the VT Council for Rural Development E-Vermont program and some of those successes could inform a more comprehensive statewide approach. There is an opportunity on the table from Maine right now to do such a thing, so more should be in this new plan document about access

Broadband continues to be of significant priority.

I did not want to put in an executive summary last round, but there does need to be something like this within the new version, something for schools to indicate the path they have taken.

More guidance and thoughtfulness on the whole issue around social networking both from DOE guidance to locals understanding and training.

Those are some prelim thoughts here...feel free to add yours..