Texas Long Range Plan for Technology: Infrastructure for Technology

The Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) Chart is used as an assessment tool in the area of technology progress across the state of Texas. This chart can be viewed by all stakeholders and is available online. This chart provides insight into technological strengths of each campus and district as well as showing areas that need improvement. This chart will provide data necessary to make advancements in technology as we progress further into the 21st century. Star Chart Key Area IV: Infrastructure for Technology has six different measurements. This area assesses ratio of Students per Computers, Internet Access Connectivity Speed, Other Classroom Technology, Technical Support, Local Area Network Wide Area Network, and Distance Learning Capacity. This area of the STaR chart focuses on student’s access to computers and involvement in web-based learning. Victory Lakes Intermediate has grown from Advanced Tech to Target Tech in this area. Target Tech is the highest level of technological achievement. The Social Studies department recently received a grant that allowed them to acquire I-Pod’s for instructional use in their classrooms. Other departments are also working on grants to increase additional resources aside from computers. All classrooms have wireless internet access so teachers are able to bring lap-top carts into their rooms for student use. The student to computer ratio is a lower area for Victory Lakes. Although we have access to many labs and computers, the overall ratio has decreased due to removal of equipment for upgrades that was unable to be replaced quickly due to a cut in funding. The Campus Statewide summary shows significant growth in this area although the overall success is not as high as it needs to be. In Area IV, the number of school reaching Target Tech has grown from 189 to 511. It is great to see this much growth; however, only 6.7% of schools have reached the desired area of Target Tech.
Clear Creek ISD has great community support and business involvement. The proximity of the school district to NASA and Johnson Space Center requires the district to place great importance on technology. We are lucky to have additional support in this regard, but it is important that other districts that do not have access to community contributions find away to set aside funding to increase resources in their schools. Less fortunate districts have to start with the basics and work their way up, but not having the funding is not an excuse to place technology on the back burner.