Tuesday, June 24, 1997
What to do with computers on campuses?
By LESLIE STRADER
Staff Writer
Abilene school trustees will be digesting Monday night's discussion
over the next few weeks after taking their first byte out of the
administration's proposed technology plan.
After listening to teachers and outside consultants give their
input on the district's plan to improve technology, last night,
school board members talked among themselves for the first time
about what they think should be done with computers on campuses.
AISD currently spends $700,000 on technology. The administration
has offered two proposals to the board - one that would spend
approximately $3 million more on technology each of the next three
years and a second plan that asks for $2 million more each of
the next three years.
The main differences in the plan is the speed of the computers
purchased and how often they would be replaced - every three years
with the first plan and every four years with the second.
The district is recommending the second plan.
Last night, the board tried to clarify the original intent
of the administration's plans and come up with goals for them
to focus on while making technology decisions.
Deputy superintendents Kay McMahon and David Polnick were on
hand to answer questions along with Ron Cravey, coordinator of
instructional technology, and Craig Williams, director of computer
services.
Trustee Phil Morehead said he believes technology's impact
on student learning should be first on everyone's mind.
"We've got to see what we can possibly do to meet the
needs of students over time and in the best way possible for instruction,"
he said.
"We need to take technology and help people learn, not
just be able to do what they can do on paper a little easier.
"I think universal access is very important, but if we
have instructional needs that could be handled with technology,
let's use those dollars there first."
Board vice-president John Stearns said the ability to measure
successful outcomes for students should also be considered in
the process.
"Where we want students to be is, when they enter business...or
college, that people recognize they are well-prepared and come
from Abilene," he said. "I think that's where we want
to be. We just need find out how we're going to get there."
One of the board's main questions was why does AISD need to
look at moving toward the cutting edge in technology. Cravey explained
it has to do with access and consistency.
Computers are no longer just sophisticated typewriters to students;
they're a whole new learning tool, he said.
"We've reached a point where when a kid sits in front
of a computer, he needs to be able to access information (like
the Internet) and the equipment we have in a lot of places is
not capable of doing that," he said.
"Another part is we have computers in the districts from
Apple IIe's to ones running Windows 95. We're fast getting to
the point where it's becoming difficult to support that many formats
with that many platforms the way we ought to be."
Specifically, Cravey said, the plan would first target LRCs
to givelibraries and the students, teachers and parents who use
them Internet access. The next priority would be upgrading elementary
school computer labs, then adding middle and high school labs.
The process would also eventually finish hooking up the administration's
network.
One issue the outside consultants addressed was the possibility
of adding more staff or bring in a consultant occasionally to
help manage the growing computer operation in the district. Williams
said he and Cravey would encourage AISD to consider that.
President Betty Davis said this isn't the board's first attempt
at addressing technology, but it is an attempt to move technology
ahead in AISD.
"I think the money first should be used in an area to
improve and accelerate learning," she said. "We don't
want to just put more computers out there because someone thinks
that's cutting edge; we first want to have a better feel of where
we're going and why. It needs to be outcome based.
"Technology is a tool for learning and teaching and it's
not going to go away. I think we've done OK in the past. We've
not been behind, we're just looking at moving it further and quicker."
The board will resume its discussions July 21.
Also at last night's meeting:
-- Dr. Polnick led a brief budget discussion to clarify information
given at the last meeting, but not to present anything new. Basically,
he told the board, the board will have to wait for specifics like
the tax rate and proposed teacher salary package until after the
voters decide whether to approve the Legislature's proposed homestead
exemption. That will take place the first part of August.
-- The board voted to increase the tuition for driver's education
through AISD from $200 to $220. The district asked for an increase
because AISD will no longer be receiving a rebate for the cars
leased to it for use in drivinginstruction. The rate has not been
increased for at least six years.
-- A request for funds to purchase an inflatable Cougar's head
was pulled from the consent agenda until the board receives more
information.
Cooper High School's athletic department requested $3,000 be
transferred from the student activity fund to purchase a large,
inflatable Cougar's head for the football team to run through
at games.
The head cost $6,000, but the athletic department had planned
to pay for half of it with student activity money collected through
a Coke machine in the fieldhouse. The other half would come from
the department's budgeted funds, which also pays for helmets,
pads and uniforms.
The captains of the 1997 football team requested the $3,000
be donated from the Coke fund for the head. Polnick reported there
is currently $6,000 total in Cooper's athletic activity fund.
Because half of the $6,000 head would be paid for with district
money, the trustees wanted to consider the issue further before
approving the purchase. They requested Coach Randy Allen be present
at the next meeting to address their concerns.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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