Launching and sustaining a laptop initiative is an expensive proposition. For that reason, districts often begin with modest pilots or roll out programs incrementally, a grade or two at a time. These days, few, if any, public school districts have budgets to finance full-service 1-to-1 programs. Instead, some seek outside assistance. Private…

A few school administrators in Clovis, California, began a quest to introduce online high school courses in their school district, believing it might cost less to teach classes online than it would to teach students face to face in a classroom. They figured instead of having one teacher fielding a load of 150 students per course, an online course…

As Internet technology encroached on the public school classroom about a decade ago, Kim Ross, superintendent of the Houston School District in Houston, Minnesota, saw an opportunity. At first, he and his administrative team simply wanted to offer students in the district of 1,300 access to more classes via the web than what a district that size…

The organization of technology leadership for school districts is as wide-ranging as the types of technology in our schools. And just as with different hardware and software applications, certain structures of leadership work better for some systems than others. Strong organization skills are needed to manage the myriad of dynamics involved in…

As technology plays an ever more mission-critical role in schools, technology literacy for district, building and program administrators is becoming mission-critical as well. The National Education Technology Plan (www.nationaledtechplan.org), released by the U.S. Department of Education in January 2005, has as its first action step to "strengthen…

A consultant lists 10 essential questions (concerning stakeholder input, ownership, training, and followup actions) to address when developing a district-level technology plan. It is suggested the plan be cooperatively developed, have a clear mission statement, be grounded in reality, address learning objectives, incorporate school infrastructure,…

An Illinois school district's quest for magical answers to technology-integration woes inspired a homegrown potion. Planners advise others to begin the journey regardless of available resources, find supportive "munchkins" within the community, face and overcome obstacles, choose traveling companions wisely, fight off attacks together, and create…

To witness greater success with technology, educators should begin their planning with a set of assumptions that consider staff fears and frustrations. Staff's personal needs include control, creativity, caring, challenge, and commitment. Professional needs include empowerment, time, assistance, leadership, communication, and opportunity. (MLH)

A learning technologies director explains lessons gleaned from his school's strategic efforts to create a districtwide technology plan. The plan required an upfront vision, creative teamwork, facilitative leadership, instructional support, and patience. A sidebar details plans for incorporating assistive technologies for special-needs learners.…