School Evaluation Summary

Evaluation completed by Andy Roundy

Demographics
The End of Day School is a rural school that serves students grades 4-7. It is one of two 4-7 schools in the district. It has a population of approximately 500 students, teachers, and other full time staff. There are various other support staff that are shared between multiple campuses such as a Speech language pathologist, ELL specialist, Nurse, Instructional coach and School Psychologist. End of day school also is host to the Life Skills program for all students suffering from severe learning or physical disabilities grades 4-7 within the district. The socio-economic status of students within the building is mixed with a majority coming from working class families. Approximately 70% of the student body qualify for free or reduced lunch. The majority of students within the student body come from families of European descent, while there are small populations of students that come from non-dominant cultural groups. The two largest being Native American from local tribes and Hispanic. There are approximately 16 students that receive ELL services within the school. There are approximately 14 students in the Life Skills program and approximately 16% of the student body qualifying for resource services. The school has an average class size of 27 students.

Administrative: Islands
The administrative filter currently finds itself at the Islands stage of development. The district has policies in place for technology use, but these policies are old and outdated and are in need of revision to meet current trends and innovations in technology use. There is limited planning for technology at the building level and at the district level as well. There is a dedicated budget for technology at the district level, but that budget does not extend down to the building level. So, it is possible for a building to benefit very little from technology budget expenditures depending on what district needs are currently. There are however, a number of district level administrative systems in place that have reached a high level of technological maturity.

Policy
Behavioral: Integrated There is a policy in place district wide on appropriated technology use. All teachers and students are subject to these policies. However, all aspects of these policies are not widely known and understood. The policies are also becoming old and outdated and in need of revision. Resource/infrastructure: Islands

There is a policy for technology use in place. Few people are fully aware of all that is included in this policy. The policy is formally approved by the school board, but it is old and outdated and in some ways inhibits newer technologies.

Planning
Behavioral: Islands Any planning involving technology in the school is project specific. The most recent technology purchases were part of a Title 1 budget spending expense. This budget needed to be used and technology was seen as more sustainable that adding staff. Other technology planning only occurs when there is a specific project that requires the planning. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands Plan for technology is usually directed toward upkeep and maintenance efforts. Budgeting is limited and therefore planning is limited. Planning for technology is rarely included in any other school budgetary planning. Occasionally it is a part of resource and title 1 planning.

Budget
Behavioral: Integrated The technology department is provided a budget at the district level that is used to maintain computers and technology at all schools in the district. This is budget is only planned on a biannual basis. Most new technology purchases are line items in other budgets or come from grants. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a budget in the general fund for technology. This budget is focused primarily on maintenance of current equipment and replacement of outdated equipment. At times there are items in other budgets like the special education fund for assistive technology.

Administrative Information
Behavioral: Intelligent There are a number of systems in place that are essential for the school to function. The school uses multiple systems for support activities such as a student information system, staff substitute teacher system, maintenance system, and district document service. Nearly all support activities are paperless.

Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent All support systems are easily accessible to all staff. All staff have ready access to computers and can use all support systems readily. All staff are able to use the student information system, maintenance system, and email.

Curricular: Islands
The current level of maturity for the Curricular filter is the islands stage. While a variety of technology is present in all classrooms, its integration into the curriculum is still developing. Most staff rely on technology for the development of lessons, but do not regularly incorporate technology into their instruction. The use of technology for assessment is limited to state and district level formative and cummulative assessments. Little to no assessment within the classroom utilizes technology. Student use of technology still remains at a more basic level, where students use technology for such tasks as typing writing assignments or conducting research. Technology is currently being used more as enrichment than an integral part of curriculum.

Electronic Information
Behavioral: Islands Students have some dependence on electronic resources such as laptops for typing papers or creating presentation. They also use them for basic research and other tasks in the library. Staff are more reliant on electronic resources to complete daily tasks. Computer lab is used weekly by all student, but often for enrichment activities and not for instruction. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a great diversity in resources throughout the school. There two computer labs, computer carts with projectors in most classrooms, some interactive whiteboards, a small number of document cameras and 5 or more laptops in all classrooms. Students and staff can gain access to most resources readily when needed.

Assessment
Behavioral: Islands Technology is used by the majority of staff members for formative evaluation of students different academic abilities. Rarely used for any other form of assessment of student work. Most other forms of assessment on student work is still done on paper. Students very rarely use any technological resources to conduct self-evaluations on their abilities with the occasional exception of internet resources used for drill and repetition.

Resource/Infrastructure: Islands Grade reporting software is available to all staff as well as access to EZCBM online testing resources used for formative evaluation. All staff use the gradebook software available to them for the digital reporting of student grades.

Curricular Integration

Behavioral: Islands Classrooms curriculums have become more dependent on technology. Many staff use different forms of technology for teaching of lessons and basic instruction. This integration is on a more basic level such as using document cameras and projectors to display teacher instruction. Some of use of laptops is also becoming part of many class projects with some other applications slowing starting to become part of teaching methods. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Many different forms of technology are available all throughout the school and in all classrooms. All classrooms have five or more laptops and well as projectors connected to computers that can be used for video streaming. Every teacher has access to a discovery streaming account that can be used to stream instruction related videos. Three classrooms have interactive whiteboards that have replaced dry erase boards.

Teacher Use
Behavioral: Integrated All teachers use variety of technology to complete their daily tasks. They use email for communication. Sharepoint for access to shared documents. Synergy as a student information system for attendance and grading. They all use computers for the preparing and planning of instruction. Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent All teachers have access to a dedicated teacher computer with access to a student information system, online cloud based storage, district network storage, sharepoint folders, email, and internet access. They also have access to wireless network within their classroom for use with mobile devices.

Student Use
Behavioral: Islands Students use technology on an almost daily basis. Computer are used for the typing of writing assignments and for drill and practice in subject areas. Students also use computer for the creation of presentations. Student use is limited to these uses. There is little use of technology for collaboration, new learning instruction, or student communication. Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent

All technology needed for student use is readily available and accessible for students. There are at least five student computers in every classroom. There is a wireless network available to students for internet access on mobile devices, although these devices are not allowed in the classroom. Student also have weekly access to two different computer labs.

Support: Emergent
The support filter is one that appears least developed within the building. There is little stakeholder involvement in technology planning or implementation. Planning for technology is taken care of at the district level where there is little or no stakeholder involvement. Limited technology planning takes place and it conducted by administration only with limited staff input. Training and other forms of technology related support exist, but are driven by district wide adoptions and are typically geared toward fulfilling administrative functions with very little emphasis on curriculum related training. There is a formal support system in place, but personnel are limited and must serve more than one campus. There is no formal support onsite in the evaluated building other than a few knowledgeable staff members that can serve as informal support.

Stakeholder Involvement
Behavioral: Emergent Within the school there is a school improvement committee that discusses and plans for many aspects of the school environment. This committee includes administration, staff, and parents. However, there is not a great deal of emphasis or planning done in regards to technology and implementation within the school. Most technological decision are made with limited staff input. Resource/Infrastructure: Emergent Technology planning and implementation is done at the district level primarily by the technology department that is made of of IT professionals. There is no current technology committee that has any certified teacher representation.

Administrative Support
Behavioral: Emergent Teachers can take concerns and requests for technology to building administration, who then work to address the requests. Teachers still have little involvement outside of discussion with building administration. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands There is no technology committee at either the school or the district level. No staff involved planning is done for the implementation of technology within the school. These decision are planned and implemented at the administrative level and by the IT department.

Training

Behavioral: Integrated When trainings on new technologies are offered all staff are required to participate. Few seek further opportunities for training. Trainings that are given are for district adopted technologies that staff are expected to use. Trainings outside of district adopted technologies or other resources are not offered. Resource/Infrastructure:Islands Trainings are limited to district adopted technology or software and conducted by either representatives of the technology company or members of the IT department. This department is limited in personnel and must serve multiple campuses. Occasionally, trainings are given by building staff that have been trained by members of the technology department.

Technical/Infrastructure Support
Behavioral: Islands Many of the staff use the IT department of the district for technical support. Some do not use this support because of its limitations or its slow response time. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Assistance with technological needs is provided by the district IT department that provides support to staff throughout the district. This department is dedicated to the maintenance and support of all technology throughout the district.

Connectivity: Integrated
The building Connectivity filter is the most highly matured filter. The building provides access to high speed network access by means of a hard line in all rooms as well as three wireless area networks for administration, student, and guest use. Staff are able to stream video within their classrooms. There are small areas that exhibit weaker wireless signals, but are still strong enough for data related uses. The telephone network within the school allows staff to reach each other throughout the building, however, the phone network is becoming old and is not always easy to operate. All staff have access to the internet throughout the building on their teacher computer as well as on their own personal mobile devices. All staff have access to email for communication as well as the above mentioned phone system.

Local Area Network (LAN)

Behavioral: Intelligent There are multiple wireless networks in each building that allow access to internet for administration, students, and guests. All staff use this access for use with video streaming within their classrooms.

Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated There is access to high speed internet connection throughout the building. In some places speeds might be too slow for video streaming but still allow for access to data. There is also a hardline connection or ethernet port in every room throughout the building.

District Area Network (WAN)

Behavioral: Intelligent Staff have access to network all throughout the school and use it for data as well as for some video streaming within their classrooms. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a high speed network available in the building. Bandwidth can become limited if there is too much video or audio streaming occurring simultaneously within the building.

Internet Access
Behavioral: Islands All staff use the internet on a daily basis with few exceptions. Students use it somewhat frequently on various projects and activities, but it is not an integrated part of the curriculum, being most frequently used for research. Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent There is direct internet access in all rooms of the building.

Communication Systems
Behavioral: Integrated Email is used for almost all staff and administrative communication within the school and within the district. Student emails exist, but are not utilized until high school. Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated All building staff have access to email. None of the students have access to school controlled email, but accounts exist for every student.

Innovation: Islands
The building experiments periodically with new technologies, however, this experimentation is often limited and does not reach all staff members. Generally, staff are excited by new technology, but do not receive the training or support to put it to effective use within their classrooms. There is a broad range of technologies throughout the building, but they are somewhat sporadic in their distribution.

New Technologies

Behavioral: Islands Staff members embrace new technologies and advocate for the adoption of new technologies. When the district is looking into the adoption of new technology they will pilot that technology in specific classrooms. Other opportunities for experimentation with new technology rarely occur within the building. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands The school provided a minimum of five laptops in each classroom, but there was no direction given as to use or how best implement them. Staff accept new technology, but do not always fully implement within their classrooms due to a lack of training or knowledge on how best to utilize the new technology.

Comprehensive Technologies
Behavioral: Integrated There is a large variety of technologies present throughout the building from document cameras to interactive whiteboards. There are laptops in all classrooms and even some limited access to tablets mostly for administration. Resource/Infrastructure: Islands For most staff and students the two main technologies that they have access to are laptops or the computer lab and document cameras. Some staff have access to other forms of technology such as interactive whiteboards and students response systems, but this access is limited to just a few teachers.

Conclusion
In conclusion, End of Day School is currently at the Island stage in their technological maturity. Much of the technology and resources are in place within the building and are beginning to be used within the curriculum, but curriculum has yet to become dependent on technology. There are policies in place for technology use, but they are old and need revision. Planning is limited and often does not involve all stakeholders. Technology training is limited to administrative technologies used for daily activities of staff, but is often not directed toward curriculum. There is much in place that can be built upon within the building. The networks and internet access are well developed. Technology within the building now needs to begin moving to greater focus on technology as a means of instruction to move toward the integrated stage in its development.