Digital Teaching and Learning Grant Application
I. Readiness Assessment
We completed the Future Ready Assessment; it is an electronic attachment to this application (I.1).
Daggett School District achieved an Overall readiness score of 4.4 with a low of 3.0 in Use of Space and
Time and a high of 7.0 in Personalized Professional Learning.
II. Current Technology Resources Inventory
Part A: Hardware and software Inventories
The complete Utah School Technology Inventory is an electronic attachment to this application
(document IIA1). “An articulation of the commitment to continue to engage in existing inventory efforts.”
Every year, Daggett School District conducts an internal inventory of all technology assets. This inventory is included in the annual business audit. Daggett School Districts affirms its intention to participate in future external audits conducted by UETN or other State authorized entities.
Software in use at Daggett School District
1. Elementary schools a. Included with computers i. Pages ii. Numbers iii. Keynote b. Paid subscriptions i. Accelerated Reader ii. Mathseeds iii. Starfall iv. IXL Math, ELA v. Sumdog vi. iReady vii. MobyMax viii. MasteryConnect ix. ABCYa x. SuperTeacher.com xi. Essential Skills xii. Vocabulary Spelling City c. Free software i. Prezi ii. Office365 iii. School Improvement Network iv. Illustrative Mathemematics v. KidZone vi. Typing.com vii. BigBrownBear viii. Dance Mat Typing ix. Prodigy x. Storyline xi. McGenius xii. GoNoodle xiii. Scholastic 2. High school a. Included software i. Pages/Numbers/Keynote b. Purchased or subscription software i. Edgenuity ii. MS Office (Word/Excel/Powerpoint/Access iii. Office365 (Online email, plus online versions of MS Office) iv. GAFE––Google Apps for Education v. Google Classroom vi. LucidChart/LucidPress (locks in with GAFE) vii. Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Photoshop, Premier, Flash, Animator etc. viii. Reading Horizons ix. Noodle Tools (UEN Subscription) x. ESRI ArcGIS xi. SketchUp xii. Apple Remote Desktop c. Free software i. Prezi ii. Google Earth/Google Maps iii. SketchUp iv. Browsers: Safari, Edge, Chrome, Firefox 3. Applications used on iPads a. Purchased (List includes “free” apps used to access paid subscriptions) i. 1st/2nd Grade Quest ii. 3rd Grade Writing STAAR iii. Accelerated Reader iv. Adventure Basic School Math v. Alphabet Aquarium vi. Amazing Coin vii. Articulation Station viii. Articulation Screener ix. Bugs and Numbers x. Common Core Grade 1 xi. Common Core Grade 2 xii. Howie Hungry Monster xiii. iTooch 3rd Grade (Math, ELA, Science) xiv. iTrace Handwriting for Kids xv. IXL Math xvi. LetterSchool writing xvii. OSMO applications (Words, Tangram, Masterpiece, Newton) xviii. Math Bingo Bash xix. Math Ninja HD xx. Math vs. Zombies Grade K-5 xxi. Mathmateer xxii. Meteor Math xxiii. OverDrive Books xxiv. QuickGraph+ xxv. Second Grade Learning Games xxvi. Sight Words Ninja xxvii. Sky Guide xxviii. Speech Racer xxix. Speech Therapy Center xxx. Speech Trainer 3D xxxi. Speech Tutor xxxii. Starfall xxxiii. Sumdog xxxiv. Super7 xxxv. TeachMe 2nd Grade xxxvi. TeachMe 3rd Grade xxxvii. VowelViz Pro b. Free apps i. Khan Academy ii. Dragon Dictation iii. EPIC Books iv. Splash Math v. Google Earth vi. Google Maps vii. iMovie viii. NASA 3D ix. Phonic Genius x. Reading Rainbow Skybrary xi. Q-Cat xii. Science360 xiii. Shakespeare xiv. SkyOrb
Part B: Current Resources Integrated into the Digital Teaching and Learning Plan
All of the network backbone and hardware we currently have will be used in this project. We are running on fiber within the district. The High School already has enough student devices to go one-to- one. Even though we have enough devices, we currently have the computers in mobile labs and have not yet given the computers to the students to take them home. Part of our plan will be a phased approach—we will give the computers to the students so they can take it with them for the day while in school. The second phase will allow the students to take the computer home.
As far as the software goes, every electronic tool we currently employ can be imbedded in Canvas.
Section 3: LEA Capacity and Goals
Statement of Purpose that Describes the Learning Objectives, Goals, Measurable Outcomes, and Metrics of Success an LEA Will Accomplish by Implementing the Program
A. Statement of Purpose: Creating Standards and Competency Based Outcomes in a Personalized Student-driven Learning Environment
District Mission and Digital Learning Vision
For as far back as teachers and administrators can remember, Daggett School District has had a culture of high expectations and high student achievement. Parents, who now have their own children attending Daggett schools, recognize and celebrate that the culture they grew up with still exists. This plan will incorporate that set of existing values, utilizing current resources to enhance and support digital learning, rather than divert, from this well-earned culture.
Our school culture is built upon a solid foundation, that of the District Mission. "The mission of
Daggett School District is to create a learning environment where every student masters the skills and knowledge necessary for meaningful participation in a changing world." The statement "in a changing world" has more meaning today than it ever has had before, especially from when the district mission was first written. The Daggett School District Digital
Learning Vision expands on that very idea. We will continue to support the culture of education within our district by improving classroom instruction, student and parent engagement, and the teaching and learning processes. In that vision, we will move toward on-demand, 24/7 learning and flipped classrooms in that students will be able to access general information and teacher designed coursework anytime, anywhere.
Daggett School District believes in providing teachers learning management support structures, collaboration systems, formative assessment systems, and instructional practices that are research-based. We believe in providing student and parent access to quality digital curriculum for every subject taught delivered from a quality Learning Management System
(LMS), namely Canvas. That content will be directly related to Utah Core Standards; furthermore, ongoing access to proven software will be available. Our vision includes rubrics defining competency for each of the standards and subjects taught. All components of a course will be available to students and parents anytime, anywhere; the instructional content, the learning activities, remediation and extension activities, and assignments.
Another part of our Digital Learning Vision emphasizes the need for diagnostic testing of students prior to their taking a course of study. Since Daggett School District believes that support in the Utah Core and systemic support for student engagement and classroom innovation is required, all stakeholders involved should be able to determine what a student knows and does not know. Time is a valuable resource and should not be wasted teaching students what they already know; furthermore, courses should be customized around what a student does not know. Digital tools and learning resources make it possible to innovate and personalize a student’s learning experience either in the physical or the digital classroom.
Other aspects of the Daggett School District's Digital Teaching and Learning Vision include:
• Preparing students for college and careers including an emphasis on higher-order
problem solving across the curriculum.
• Broadening STEM career path options for students.
• Supporting the drive toward on-demand, 24/7 learning and the flipped classroom.
• Drive economic development by providing students the skills and experiences they need
to give Utah companies the quality workforce that they need.
• Move towards 66% by 2020 P.A.C.E. Goals.
Root Causes and Core Components
Through stakeholder input gathered and interpreted by the Future Ready Action Planning
Process and tool in step two of this application process, the data clearly identified three specific elements of performance challenge under the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment gear.
They are 21st Century Skills/Deeper Learning, Personalized Learning, and Collaborative,
Relevant, and Applied Learning. The first of these challenges are a result of the district not yet reviewing the 21st Century
Skills/Deeper learning competencies, selecting a set of skills that resonate with all stakeholders, and then integrating those skills into all curricula. Support materials, information resources, professional development, and pilot programs have not yet been developed. Daggett School
District lacks a system for providing consistent and quality instruction regarding 21st century skills and digital citizenship. The grant will provide us with the financial resources to develop grade-level specific courses that introduce 21st century skills and cover the nine components of digital citizenship. We will build the college and career/workforce readiness of our students by providing content through Canvas, utilizing a structured PK-12 scope and sequence.
The second of these performance challenges has to do with personalized learning. The idea of personalized and digital learning in Daggett School District is new to our teachers and we recognize the complexity and significance of the change management process that will be required for success. Such a change will require a shift in teaching philosophy, technical understanding, and a deeper skill level; however, we are committed to making these changes to benefit students who may not fit the mold of a traditional setting, who still should have the opportunity to a public education.
We are finding that more and more students are breaking away from the traditional classroom setting for a number of different family and personal reasons. From a parent walking out, forcing a student to step-up and take a more financial supporting role in their family, to an accelerated student who is prepared for a school of higher learning earlier that his or her peers; more students are looking for an "out of the box" alternative from the educational experience had by their parents to earn their diploma. Through Canvas, students will be able to have access to a quality curriculum with opportunities for remediation and/or enrichment. Such thinking has brought us to where we are today; moving to cutting edge ideas, using technologies to shake the way things used to be done, and teaching higher order thinking to solve problems that do not yet exist.
We pledge, through the resources of this grant, to invest in trained personnel to support our students in moving forward in our digital education efforts. To ensure that digital courses meet the rigor expected by our teachers, courses need to be compiled by those who are familiar with the Utah Core and best instructional practices. Our limited district staff utilizes each member of the current administrative team by taking on several roles throughout the district. Adding the responsibility of "District Technology and Learning Specialist" to their load would not solve any problems. An identified immediate need of Daggett School District is the hiring of trained, educational specialists to facilitate course creation. Since technology supports excellent teaching, not supplants it, we believe the key to quality instruction is the teacher and that teachers are the best-qualified people for creating courses; so, a small group of teachers within the district will be selected to use the Canvas LMS system to facilitate this type of learning.
Daggett School District will provide support to those teachers using UETN instructors to provide the high-quality training in the art of digital course creation necessary.
Working with students all day and preparing for the next day, teachers rarely have the time during the school day necessary to complete the rigorous courses that will be used. These courses will have to be developed on their own time or during the summer months. Upon completion of creating a course, and after being reviewed against a detailed rubric to ensure that courses are consistent and contain a certain complexities and high quality, teachers will earn a stipend for the time spent creating their courses. Daggett School District would like to set aside monies through this grant for the allocation of said stipends. Courses created by our educators, made available on Canvas, will be an effective tool for those students who need that alternative to face-to-face instruction, yet will still get the high-quality education that has become a standard in our district. So much of what students do will be online and easily accessible to them and their parents anytime, anywhere.
The last challenge Daggett School District faces is a structure to use existing opportunities to develop collaborative, relevant, and applied learning. Professional learning experiences provided through asynchronous delivery using Canvas to provide support for educators as they develop these skills. As a result, students working in Canvas will be the beneficiaries from those skills, developed by their teachers, as they participate in learning that is enriched through collaborative, relevant, and applied learning experiences that will connect them with peers, current information, and real-life experiences, making it possible to move all students to high levels of learning powered by technology.
Goals
Long-term Outcomes:
Daggett School District has selected option A from the Utah’s Master Plan, and the HB 277 grant application. Our district’s projected outcome for student achievement is a 5% increase on the SAGE using a baseline of the 2016 SAGE proficiency scores by the end of the third year of our implementation of the program.
Daggett School District will further measure student college and career/workforce readiness using grade 11 ACT scores. The district’s projected outcome is a 2% increase on the ACT using a baseline of the 2016 ACT scores by the end of the third year of our implementation of the program.
Intermediate Outcomes:
At the end of the 2017 school year, professional development structures will be in place and training will have begun to assist teachers in how to use the digital resources to improve student outcomes. The small group of teachers will have created and implement courses in
Canvas.
Student college and career/workforce readiness will be built through completion of a grade- level digital citizenship courses provided through Canvas. This will be measured using a post- test for each grade’s digital citizenship course. We believe a 1% increase in the number of proficient students between the pre-test and post-test 2017 data.
Direct Outcomes:
Daggett School District will personalize learning utilizing Canvas in conjunction with targeted training on personalization of learning. This will be measured using the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment gear focusing on the Personalized Learning element of the Future Ready Tool.
Our projected outcome is to move from our 2016 baseline of 3.8 to 5.8 by the end of 2019.
Daggett School District will provide training on research-based, innovative pedagogies, and curricula for digital learning, reviewing effectiveness research and innovative practices and models for digital learning in the classroom. We will recognize and provide professional development on the different technologies like social media, conferencing or collaboration software, online professional learning communities, digital content resources, interactive simulations, social networking, cloud-based digital libraries and expert directories, online
“collaboratories,” mobile learning devices, survey/polling applications and response systems, to name a few. We will measure improvements through the Professional Personalized Learning gear of the Future Ready tool, moving two points from 7.0 to 9.0 by the end of 2019.
Daggett School District will explore expectations for collaboration in the workplace by visiting professional business leaders in the community and by studying business leaders that have demonstrated success in our area. We will seek out examples of collaborative structures and how they function in work settings by utilizing local resources to identify business leaders who are innovating through changing processes and the type of work with which their employees engage. We will find patterns between collaborative teaching methods and collaborative structures in the workplace that may inform our district’s efforts. We will measure improvements through the Collaborative, Relevant, and Applied Learning element of the
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment gear of the Future Ready tool, moving that element two points from 3.0 to 5.0 by the end of 2019. Daggett School District will perform a culture measure each year using the Future Ready
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments gear. We seek to increase our overall readiness number at least two points from 3.8 to 5.8 in that gear by the end of 2019. The Digital Teaching and Learning Committee will review results from the assessments yearly and adjustments to any of the above mentioned goals will be made as needed.
Section IV. Implementation Process
We will provide implementation data to USBE on an annual basis.
Year 1
Activities Timeline Roles/Responsibility Communication Plan for this Event
Initial announcement August 2016 Northcott Faculty Meetings of the idea of personalized and digital learning project and an invitation to participate
Purchase Canvas Last week of Durrant Work with UETN License September 2016
Select a cohort of First week of UETN Email will be send approximately 5 September 2016 inviting 5 teachers to teachers to receive training. training on the use of canvas
Engage Community: October/November Northcott Invitation to be sent Announce to parents 2016 home by students, and students the texted to parents, and intent and reasons of put on the district and offering courses school websites. through Canvas Meeting with students and parents will be in small groups.
UETN Partnership/ November 2016 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Local Instructional and UETN trainers inviting 5 teachers to Technology Specialist training Teachers led workshops- Canvas Workshops Courses - How to use Canvas & Canvas for Online Learning (introductory series)
Professional January 2017 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development - Flip and UETN trainers inviting 5 teachers to Your Class with training Teachers Canvas
Explore expectations February 2017 Digital Teaching and Share with school for collaboration in Learning Committee counselor results of the workplace by Members discussions with visiting professional business leaders to business leaders in give options to the community and students on a one-on- by studying business one basis leaders that have demonstrated success in our area.
Professional March 2017 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development - Best and UETN trainers inviting 5 teachers to Practices using training Teachers Canvas
Professional May 2017 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development - How and UETN trainers inviting 5 teachers to to use Digital training Teachers Resources to Improve Student Outcomes
Create Rubric for By May 2017 Northcott and Rubrics disbursed to New Courses Committee to Get cohort of teachers ideas from Juab upon completion
Collect digital culture May 2017 Digital Teaching and Communicate findings survey data using the Learning Committee to parents through the Future Ready Members district website Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessments gear
Begin Building May-June 2017 Teachers with help Cohort meeting Courses for next from Trainers year's use
Year 2
Roles/Responsibility Activities Timeline Communication Plan for this Event
Continue Building July-Aug 2017 Teachers with help Follow-up cohort courses from trainers meeting
Create a structured July-Aug 2017 Digital Teaching and After the scope and PK-12 scope and Learning Committee sequence is created, it sequence to develop Members will be sent digitally to grade-level, specific the cohort of courses that teachers. introduce 21st century skills and cover the nine components of digital citizenship.
Invite more teacher Late August 2017 Northcott Give report of project participation in Opening Institute. Invite other teachers to join in.
Professional August 2017 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - How to use Canvas & Canvas for Online Learning (introductory series)
Implementation: Use August 2017-May Teachers and Teachers will use courses built over the 2018 Students Canvas to aide in the summer for instruction process instruction and provide 24/7 access Professional October 2017 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - Flip Your Class with Canvas
Professional January 2018 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - Best Practices using Canvas
Professional March 2018 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - How to use Digital Resources to Improve Student Outcomes
Student college and May 2018 Digital Teaching and Announce at staff career/workforce Learning Committee meeting that courses readiness will be built Members are available to be through completion transferred to grade- of a grade-level level teachers digital citizenship overseeing the courses provided instruction of College through Canvas. and Career/ Workforce Readiness
Collect digital culture May 2018 Digital Teaching and Communicate findings survey data using the Learning Committee to parents through Future Ready Members the district website Curriculum,
Instruction, and Assessments gear
Create achievement May 2018 Teachers Analyze achievement baseline data
Use survey tool to May 2018 Digital Teaching and Communicate findings collect data regarding Learning Committee to parents through the patterns between Members the district website collaborative teaching methods and collaborative structures in the workplace
Build more courses May-June 2018 Teachers with help Announcement at from trainers staff meeting
Year 3
Roles/Responsibility Activities Timeline Communication Plan for this Event
Continue Building July—August 2018 Teachers with help Paid summer job courses from trainers
Invite more Late August 2018 Northcott Give report of project participation in Opening Institute
Professional Late August 2018 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - How to use Canvas & Canvas for Online Learning (introductory series)
Implementation: Use August 2018—May Teachers and Teachers will use built courses for 2019 Students Canvas to aide in the instruction instruction process
and provide 24/7
access
Professional October 2018 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - Flip Your Class with Canvas
Professional January 2019 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training additional for early Teachers adopters - Best Practices using Canvas
Professional March 2019 Andrew from NUES Email will be send Development for new and UETN Trainers inviting teachers to teachers and training Teachers additional for early adopters - How to use Digital Resources to Improve Student Outcomes
Collect digital culture May 2019 Digital Teaching and Communicate findings survey data using the Learning Committee to parents through Future Ready Members the district website Curriculum,
Instruction, and Assessments gear
Measure growth May 2019 Teachers Analyze achievement from baseline data
Use survey tool to May 2019 Digital Teaching and Communicate findings collect data regarding Learning Committee to parents through the patterns between Members the district website collaborative teaching methods and collaborative structures in the workplace
Build more courses May-June 2019 Teachers with help Paid summer job from trainers
Section 5: Digital Curriculum - Instructional Tools
Description of High Quality Digital Instructional Materials with a Three Year Plan for How an LEA will ensure that Schools Use Software Programs With Fidelity Outcomes and analysis of activities reported via Learn Platform will be shared across Daggett School District and will inform changes in multiple areas:
Area Potential Impacts
EdTech Tool Adoption and Analyzing utilization in and across schools to know how, how Utilization much, and how often different technologies are used will inform instructional decisions and professional development.
Resource Allocations Analysis of utilization and costs will inform investment reallocation, achievement gap analysis and cost effectiveness
Focus of Effort Analysis of student achievement and instructional practices to inform professional development and instructional decisions
Achievement Gap Analysis Analysis to identify and address outcome gaps by and across student groups. Can also inform additional interventions and edtech product pilots
As part of Daggett School District’s Digital Teaching and Learning plan, our school administrators will ensure fidelity with existing software programs as well as addition programs that are purchased to maximize learning. The district currently utilizes the following high quality digital instructional materials:
Description of High Quality Instructional 3 Year Plan of Fidelity Materials
Utah Compose: Utah Compose is designed to Year 1 (2016-17): Elementary school students function as the teacher’s partner so that in grades 3-6 are expected to complete no students can practice their writing skills and less than 2 essays per quarter using Utah grow into proficient writers. The features Compose in preparation SAGE Writing outlined below work in conjunction with Assessment. Administrators run a teachers to provide students with unlimited comprehensive report on a monthly basis opportunities to submit essays, receive checking for usage fidelity. feedback, and revise and edit drafts. Year 2 (2017-18): Elementary school students in grades 3-6 will continue to complete no less than 2 essays per quarter using Utah Compose in preparation SAGE Writing Assessment. Administrators run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. Year 3 (2018-19): Elementary school students in grades 3-6 will continue to complete no less than 2 essays per quarter using Utah Compose in preparation SAGE Writing Assessment. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. i-Ready Math and Reading: Built for the Year 1 (2016-17): Elementary school students Common Core, i-Ready combines a valid and grades 5-6 are expected to complete up to 45 reliable growth measure and individualized minutes per week in the area of math and instruction in a single online product that saves also in the area of language. Currently teachers time at a fraction of the cost of similar students fulfill this requirement as part of products. A single K–12 adaptive Diagnostic for their required homework assignment. reading and mathematics that pinpoints Administrators will run a comprehensive student needs down to the sub-skill level, and report on a monthly basis checking for usage ongoing progress monitoring shows whether fidelity. students are on track to achieve end-of-year Year 2 (2017-18): Elementary school targets. Provides rigorous, on-grade-level students grade 5-6 will continue to be instruction and practice with Ready® and expected to complete up to 45 minutes per additional downloadable lessons to help meet week assignment. In addition, grades 2-4 will individual student or small group needs. be added to that expectation. Administrators Provides personalized student instruction will run a comprehensive report on a monthly targeted to students’ unique areas of needs basis for usage fidelity. and mobile apps to boost achievement. Easy- to-use reporting and ongoing progress Year 3 (2018-19): Elementary school monitoring provide educators with real-time students grades 2-6 will continue to be insights for each student at the class, school, expected to complete up to 45 minutes per and district level. I-Ready also provides week. This year 1st grade will be added to the solutions for a core curriculum, remediation, expectation. Administrators will run a special education, Response to Intervention comprehensive report on a monthly basis (RTI), supplemental instruction, and gifted checking for usage fidelity. education.
Canvas: Students taking courses through Year 1 (2016-17): The 2016-17 school year Canvas are required to complete assigned work will be the pilot year for Canvas for Daggett and check grades through this online Learning School District teachers and students. Our Management System. They are expected to goal is for teachers to utilize the Canvas check their grades daily and need devices in system as a communication tool, academic order to do this. Canvas strengthens the home- tool, and a teacher website. Online accessibility facilitates parent access to school connection. student progress. Over the summer, teachers will create and upload lessons and assignments that can be used from year to year. Canvas will be used as a collaborative tool across the school district and the Canvas Community. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. Year 2 (2017-18): Teachers and students will continue to utilize the Canvas LMS as stated in year one. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. Year 3 (2018-19): Teachers and students will continue to utilize the Canvas LMS as stated in year one. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity.
Waterford Early Learning Software: Year 1 (2016-17): Parents of prekindergarten Community needs high-quality, affordable students are recommended they participate program to reach and prepare children before in this program. Students are expected to they enter kindergarten. State of Utah funds complete 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week at UPSTART program and children enroll in home. UPSTART partners with families to UPSTART the year before they enter monitor student progress and provide kindergarten at no cost to families. Computer support and instruction. Administrators can and internet are provided to qualifying homes also run a comprehensive report on a without them. Lessons focus on reading, with monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. additional math and science activities. Children Year 2 (2017-18): Parents of prekindergarten graduate UPSTART, on average, at students are going to be highly encouraged to kindergarten-advanced level. More children participate in this program. Students are enter school kindergarten-ready, which saves expected to complete 15 minutes a day, 5 long-term intervention costs and involves days a week at home. UPSTART partners with families in their child’s education. families to monitor student progress and provide support and instruction. Administrators can also run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. Year 3 (2018-19): Parents of prekindergarten students are going to be required to participate in this program. Students are expected to complete 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week at home. UPSTART partners with families to monitor student progress and provide support and instruction. Administrators can also run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity.
Edivate: Edivate, is an on-demand professional Year 1 (2016-17): Teachers will access learning resource that creates a highly professional learning support via Edivate a personalized learning experience for all minimum of 20 minutes per month. At the Daggett School District teachers, helping end of the last school year, Professional teachers continually improve their practice Development pre-self assessments were and, in turn, raise student achievement. There issued to all teachers to determine the way are thousands of the very best PD videos and teachers think and feel about their past resources to help create a personalized experiences with professional development. learning experience tailored to the unique Subsequently in the last month of the school needs of our teachers. Edivate also has simple year, a post self assessment will be management tools to help administrators distributed and collected to gather data create individual and system-wide professional about whether Edivate improved their overall learning plans to help support teacher growth. experience. Year 2 (2017-18): Teachers will continue to access professional learning support via Edivate for a minimum of 20 minutes per month. 15% of Daggett School District teachers will contribute to a learning community via videos uploaded to Edivate. Teachers will collaborate with other educators via Edivate's collaboration resources. Teachers will use standards based resources including, but not limited to, downloadable lessons provided through Edivate and will use the 360 Framework to enhance student learning by creating visible learning targets, a culture of learning, administer formative assessments, empower students with self-assessments, and use powerful learning strategies. A process is created to schedule, track, and oversee the goals and objectives that have been created. Administrators will evaluate teachers yearly and make meaningful observations that encourage and track teacher growth. Administrators will customize the process to create a workflow that fits their schedule. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity.
Year 3 (2018-19): Teachers will continue to access professional learning support via Edivate for a minimum of 20 minutes per month. 20% of Daggett School District teachers will contribute to the learning community via videos uploaded to Edivate. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity.
IXL: Discover student strengths and Year 1 (2016-17): Elementary school weaknesses in a whole new way! Every time students complete up to 20 minutes per week students practice, IXL Analytics keeps you in in the area of math. Currently students fulfill the loop about their progress. Real-time, this requirement as part of their classroom relevant data solves the mystery of how centers. Administrators will run a students are doing and empowers you to take comprehensive report on a monthly basis action to help them. IXL transforms your checking for usage fidelity. students' practice data into straightforward Year 2 (2017-18): Elementary school insights that help you focus on what's students complete up to 20 minutes per week important. Just a few clicks will reveal your in the area of math. Students will fulfill this students' growth, trouble spots, and even their requirement as part of their classroom readiness for standardized testing. We know centers. Administrators will run a you're short on time—that's why IXL's reports comprehensive report on a monthly basis give you the practical details that enable you to checking for usage fidelity. choose the best teaching strategies. With IXL Analytics, you can discover exactly what your Year 3 (2018-19): Elementary school students' need and address their problems students complete up to 20 minutes per week more effectively. in the area of math. Students will fulfill this requirement as part of their classroom centers. Administrators will run a comprehensive report on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity.
DIBELS (State Required Assessment): Teachers Year 1 (2016-17): Elementary students K-3rd use iPads to test students in the mClass format grade have been assessed prior to this year. to determine each child’s development in This year, students K-5th grade will be grade-appropriate foundational reading skills. assessed three times a year. Data will be Teachers access this data to focus their input for grades K-3 and the State will instruction around a student's specific needs in generate a report three times a year. Data will be used by classroom teachers to inform areas that may include: Hearing and using instruction. sounds in spoken words (Phonemic Awareness), Knowing sounds of letters, Year 2 (2017-18): Elementary students K-6th sounding out written words (Alphabetic grade will be assessed three times a year. Principle), Reading words in stories easily, Data will be input for grades K-3 and the quickly, and correctly (Accuracy and Fluency) State will generate a report three times a and understanding what they read (Reading year. Data will be used by classroom teachers Comprehension). to inform instruction.
Year 3 (2018-19): Elementary students K-6th grade will be assessed three times a year. Data will be input for grades K-3 and the State will generate a report three times a year. Data will be used by classroom teachers to inform instruction. Accelerated Reader: Accelerated Reader has Year 1 (2016-17): Elementary students K-6th three functions: Assessment of a student's grade are assessed three times per year. reading level, suggesting titles of books at that Data is used to level students and assist them level and, assessing whether a student has in selecting books at their instructional completed reading a book. The STAR test is reading level. Students are rewarded for one component of the program. It is their reading accomplishments. a computer adaptive test designed to identify a Administrators run a comprehensive report student's grade-equivalent reading level and on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. instructional reading level. Accelerated Reader Year 2 (2017-18): Elementary students K-6th (AR) quizzes are available on fiction and non- grade will continue to be assessed three fiction books, textbooks, supplemental times per year. Data is used to level students materials, and magazines. Most are in the form and assisting them in selecting books at their of reading practice quizzes, although some instructional reading level and then reward are curriculum-based with multiple subjects. students for reading accomplishments. Many of the company's quizzes are available in Administrators run a comprehensive report an optional recorded voice format for primary- on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. level books, in which the quiz questions and answers are read to the student taking the Year 3 (2018-19): Elementary students K-6th quiz. These quizzes are designed to help grade will continue to be assessed three emerging English readers take the quizzes times per year. Data is used to level students without additional assistance. Reports are and assisting them in selecting books at their generated on demand to help students, instructional reading level and then reward teachers, and parents monitor student students for reading accomplishments. progress. Reports are available regarding Administrators run a comprehensive report student reading, comprehension, amount of on a monthly basis checking for usage fidelity. reading, diagnostic information, and other variables. A number of studies have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of using Accelerated Reader in the classroom. The following two studies were reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse and were found to meet their high standards for research.
Software used throughout Daggett School District has come directly from ongoing programs. In many cases sustainability of this software is in not question because the district has available funds through Trustland monies to continue the programs beyond the initial purchase. Our focus for the acquisition of new programs and content will come from Open Educational
Resources (OER) made available through the state and other educational OER developers.
Using Canvas will allow our teachers to develop an organized and systematic grade level pool of teacher-developed content that can be accessed by all teachers within the district. Using the
Canvas platform will allow teachers not only to develop content, but also to create digital lessons and unit plans linked to specific standards that can be shared throughout the district.
Canvas also provides solutions for a core curriculum, remediation, Special Education, Response to Intervention (RTI), supplemental instruction, and gifted education.
Section 6: Student Engagement in Personalized Learning
At present, most of the coursework offered at the high school is face-to-face instruction with a teacher.
For the last 10 years, we have offered digital coursework called Edgenuity. Originally, this digital coursework was used for remediation. Since that small beginning, the uses have increased to include medically homebound, safe school violations, accelerated students, adult education, students with schedule problems, students who live too far away and do not attend regularly, direct instruction for planned teacher absences, flipped classrooms, students with teacher conflicts, summer school, anytime learning, etc. We will continue to expand the usage of this coursework. Via Edgenuity, we have the ability to offer a complete high school diploma.
As good as this digitized coursework is, instruction from a teacher who knows the student is better.
Recognizing that education is enhanced by meaningful relationships with caring teachers, we seek to increase the number of courses a teacher can offer and increase the access students have to the content of teacher created coursework. At the beginning of this project, only the students who take courses from the four early adopters will have access to Canvas delivered coursework. Over time, the number of teachers involved and the number of course available will grow. Ultimately all students will have access to Canvas delivered courses anytime, anywhere.
We already have one-to one devices. Over a three year period, we intend to move to allowing the students to take home the computer assigned to them.
We already teach digital citizenship both from a safety point of view--anti-digital bullying, information protection, etc., from an ethical point of view—plagiarism, and from a content point of view—research, reliable sources, etc. We will continue with all that we already do and firmly insist on increasing levels of digital citizenship.
We intend on increasing the level of collaboration by implementing Microsoft Office 365.
Students will have consistent opportunities to use digital tools with which to select personalized learning paths.
For example, through Edgenuity, students have the opportunity to use digital curriculum that performs a diagnostic of learning needs. The Diagnostic test identifies what students already know about the course of study at hand. The computer designs a curriculum based on what the student does not know. In this way each student individualizes each course of study. Another example of individualized learning pathways is Canvas. Students will have electronic access to the materials a teacher uses for instruction.
When a student misses school, the student still has access to the lesson materials. When the student has academic weaknesses or gaps in understanding, the LMS will deliver remedial content specific to the needs of that student. Both of these tools enhance access to curriculum from anywhere at anytime. We intend on extending that access so students can complete coursework from any location anytime of the year.
All of the increase in access and personalization is intended to enhance engagement and provide more personalized remediation. This increased engagement will contribute to higher SAGE and ACT scores.
Section 7: Personalized Professional Learning
Currently, Daggett School District assigns school administrators to schedule professional learning specific to the needs of each school and their teachers. Schedules are created year- by-year to fit teacher schedules and accommodate professional instructor's time constraints.
Daggett School District offers what few other districts in the state are able, that of a four-day school week. That schedule allows us to schedule most professional learning opportunities on
Fridays, which does not interfere with the student schedule or student learning. This current school year provides opportunities for teachers to be trained in digital and personalized learning.
Daggett School District utilizes Edivate. It is our goal to have all teachers access professional learning support via Edivate for a minimum of 20 minutes per month. At the end of the last school year, Professional Development self-assessments were issued to all teachers to determine the way they think and feel about their past experiences with professional development. Subsequently, in the last month of the school year, another self-assessment will be distributed and collected to gather data about whether Edivate improved their overall experience.
We continually connect with NUES and UETN to have them facilitate various professional learning events. Furthermore, we will continue to participate in the professional learning and implementation support offered by USBE and UETN. Most recently, UETN was utilized to provide training to our teachers in preparation to our moving to Canvas. Among other professional learning events, future trainings through UETN will include content-specific strategies for integrating digital technology into the curriculum so that student college and career/workforce readiness can be built through completion of a grade-level digital citizenship courses provided through Canvas built by our teachers, a subject area listed in the goals and objectives page.
We will also look to UETN to provide training on research-based, innovative pedagogies, and curricula for digital learning, reviewing effectiveness research and innovative practices and models for digital learning in the classroom. Further, they will provide professional development on the different technologies like social media, conferencing or collaboration software, online professional learning communities, digital content resources, interactive simulations, social networking, cloud-based digital libraries and expert directories, to name a few, also addressed in our goals and objectives. As part of our current software provider in use, i-Ready has provided and will continue to provide professional learning opportunities for the staff. This training focused on how to best plan curricular activities using the i-Ready program. Edivate representatives have been to
Daggett School District several times to train administrators on the most effective use of their program in creating student-learning activities. Professional Instructors from the Waterford
Early Learning Software Company have worked with parents and teachers on several occasions to discuss the best practices for using the software. Accelerated Reader agents trained our staff on the software fits into our curriculum. These are just small examples of how our plan focuses on curriculum planning and student-learning activities that are integrated with digital technology tools and resources.
Teachers who have become specialists in the individual programs that we use at our schools have been identified as trainers to new staff at our school. They also will provide periotic coaching and mentoring. A small part of the monthly staff meeting will be used to discuss best practices of software and program use in classrooms. This frequency will ensure successful implementation occurs.
Section VIII. Measurement of teacher and student usage
1. Baseline Data
We already have a process whereby we collect and analyze SAGE, ACT, DIBELS, and i-Ready data. We will continue that process using 2015-2016 data as our baseline. We will also count the number and compute percentages with regards to the digital and face-to-face curriculum already in use. We will further analyze the reasons why students use the current digital curriculum. This information also serves as a baseline for the implementation of Canvas. Ultimately, we want all courses taught in the high school to be managed via Canvas.
2. Continuous Improvement Plan
In order to review progress and make needed changes, our six member Digital Learning Committee will meet quarterly to review implementation of our plan, review data, and make suggestions for change and improvement. The recommendations of the committee will be reported to the Board of Education for their consideration as the Board creates its annual budget and prepares its annual District report card.
3. Strategies for Continuous Improvement
In terms of the implementation of Canvas, we are starting small with only 4 teachers in the first implementation group. They will be trained and serve as trainers for their peers who will be in a second and third wave of implementation. As this process unfolds, the committee will be able to review the plan and make changes in the implementation plan. As the committee reviews achievement data, they will be able to monitor trend lines to see if the plan is having he intended effect.
4. Data Points
The committee will review the following data points: DIBELS, SAGE, ACT, and i-Ready; usage patterns of
Edgenuity; Concurrent Enrollment, CTE Skills tests, CTE Concentrators, CTE Pathway completers; number of courses converted to Canvas delivery, usage patterns; perception data from students, parents and teachers; and other data points as this project unfolds. Section IX: Three year plan for infrastructure acquisition
1. “Plan must address scaling current network and internet connection bandwidth to
support all LEA access needs without performance degradation even during times of
maximum use.”
a. Our bandwidth is provided by UEN. We currently have 180 mb/s internet
bandwidth. UEN has signed a contract with STRATA to bring a fiber cable into
Daggett County, which will increase our bandwidth, at least initially, to one
gigabit/sec. Our network bandwidth is currently 10 gb/s across the backbone;
some switch-to-switch connections are 40 gb/s. This is completely sufficient to
support a one gigabit connection to the internet and to support necessary high
speed connections to our in-house servers.
b. Six new Juniper layer-3 switches were installed in the summer of 2016. Switches
are interconnected at 40 gb/s or 10 gb/s speeds. Our re-wiring was undertaken
to reduce the number of switch locations. This was done to enhance security,
reduce wiring plant complexity and to reduce the amount of administrative
overhead required for maintenance and upgrades, as well as to prepare us for
the implementation of a new fiber optic circuit from the Uintah Basin which has
been provisioned by UEN. All wireless access points are connected to gigabit
ports with the exception of Flaming Gorge Elementary. With only 25 students and about 50 mb/s of available bandwidth, a gigabit port is not needed at that
location.
2. “Plan must include site specific validate-able enrollment, both full time and part time
and NSLP income eligibility data to USBE as per E-Rate eligible items.”
No E-Rate funds were sought in the current fiscal year. E-Rate required forms are
submitted, including CIPA/COPPA compliance assurances, which are sent to UEN
on an annual basis. NLSP data and eligibility forms are automatically uploaded to
USBE on a daily basis.
3. “Plan acknowledge inventory tracking requirements for at least five years.”
a. Daggett SD maintains an accurate inventory of reportable purchased equipment.
The annual inventory inspection and update are performed by the technology
director and business manager.
b. While Daggett SD does not intend to purchase accountable equipment with the
Grant funds, it is committed to maintaining an accurate inventory of all
technology equipment. We use an indelible tracking tag on all reportable
equipment, and a similar tag on items of lesser value to indicate district
ownership. All inventory will be tracked for required five year period.
4. “Plan must address actions to scale to meet the goal to ensure wireless access is
available and reliable in all instructional spaces and indoor/outdoor common areas.”
We already meet this requirement. We have for several years been a point of 1:1
or better in Manila High School and Flaming Gorge Elementary, and nearly 1:1 in
Manila Elementary School. Anticipated computer purchases over the lifespan of
this grant will not significantly increase the number of computers on our
network. Any increase of up to 25% can be handled with our existing wireless
infrastructure. Ten new classroom-level access points were installed in the
summer of 2016; obsolete hardware was retired, and access points with broad
reach were relocated to best serve our common areas. Currently, all of our
access points are two years old or newer. We will install additional access points
in the practice gym area, which currently does not have wireless (or wired)
capability.
Section X: Technical support for Implementation and Maintenance of the Program
1. “Plan must address scale-up of technical support to be available so that business and
instructional operations are minimally impacted.”
a. To date, our scale-up has been achieved by improved efficiency. At one time, we
housed 15 servers in our server farm. This has been reduced to about nine at
present. b. NUES has provided an increasing amount of support for Daggett SD. NUES has a
full-time network engineer, who spends 1-5 days per month in the District; NUES
also has an edtech trainer who spends a minimum of one day per month in
training activities. He is also an experienced network cabling installer who has
assisted with several cabling upgrade projects. He is a Canvas trainer; he
provided our initial Canvas training in cooperation with a UEN trainer. He will
provide ongoing end-user support of our Canvas implementation. c. Since our district holds school on a four-day schedule, student and staff
computers are generally available for maintenance and upgrades on Fridays. The
technology director works a 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule to allow a window
of time each day for critical maintenance to be performed. (School ends at 3:20
p.m. M-Th.) d. Technology directors in the NUES region meet monthly to discuss common
problems and share information and ideas. This often results in more efficient
operations for each district. e. The technology director (as well as the NUES director and network engineer) is a
Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) through CoSN. This means that
each has demonstrated knowledge of management, security, networking and
educational principles at the school and district level. f. As noted in Section IX, our infrastructure is being constantly updated and
simplified to create a more easily managed system.
g. If additional personnel become necessary, Daggett SD will hire as needed.
2. “Plan must address the presence or building of a well-defined technical support
procedure.”
With about 35 employee users and 205 student users, technical support is
immediate and personal. We do not have a formal system (e.g. SchoolDude), as
we feel that the cost would exceed the benefits. Emergency requests are
submitted to the tech director by phone or text. Less critical needs are submitted
via email, or occasionally via a maintenance request form. Most problems are
resolved within an hour or two. Repairs to Apple iPads, laptops or iMacs are
performed by outside contractors. The regional network engineer is on call at all
times to lend a hand with difficult problems or those requiring more hands.
3. “Plan must include process to inventory and track portable and fixed technology assets,
and LEA continues to participate in statewide inventory surveys.”
a. Daggett SD has participated in all inventory surveys as requested––for many
years––and agrees to continue to do so.
b. Daggett SD uses a manual asset tag system, which is maintained in a database
accessed by the technology director and the business administrator.
4. “Plan must provide process and measures of the classroom teacher technical support
burden and provide measures that reduce the teacher technical support burden.”
a. Our Grant application states that we intend to pay stipends to teachers to
develop their classes on Canvas/Instructure on non-contract time. This will
change, but not necessarily increase, the teacher tech support burden. In the
short term, it will increase, but over time, successful implementation should
decrease the burden. There will be an ongoing tech support need due to teacher
turnover, but that usually is no more than one or two teachers per year in this
small district.
b. Teacher tech support has been enhanced by our migration to a single computer
platform (MacOS) for both students and teachers. We have a single computer
lab with computers which can dual-boot to either MacOS or Windows. Increasing
use of web resources and cloud-based services obviates the need for student use
of specific OS platforms. Most of our software is either platform universal
(available for both Windows and MacOS) or platform agnostic. We avoid
software with outdated requirements such as Flash or Java, demanding of our
vendors that they support HTML5 and modern browsers. We use Apple Remote
Desktop and Microsoft Remote Desktop to manage computers and assist end-
users. We use Lightspeed Mobile Device Management to manage our iPad
investment and for the installation of software. We use a simplified set of computer images for installation––one for faculty/staff, one for secondary
students, and a simplified image for elementary students.
c. Tech support complaints, if any, are channeled through building principals.
Section XI: Proposed security policies, including Security Audits, Student data privacy, and remediation of identified lapses. Budget and resources.
1. Policies
District policy EEB Attached
2. AUP
Students and staff re-sign AUP agreements annually. These are LEA Board-adopted and
have gone through the required advertisement processes. Notification to parents takes
place at student registration, parent-teacher conferences, evening NetSafe
presentations, and board meetings. We meet with students on the first day of school
each year to review policies and expectations.
Policy EEB Exhibits 1-4 Attached
3. Stake Holders
Stakeholder involvement: the board meets at least annually for uptake of employee
concerns. Technology purchase and integration are always on the agendas of our
school-community councils.
4. Security Audits:
Internal Audit: Physical security a. Access to the district physical infrastructure is restricted. There are three primary
technology infrastructure locations:
i. Technology office and server room in the Manila Elementary basement. This area
is behind two locked doors. Access is restricted to four employees with district
grand master keys; in practice only the technology director accesses this area.
Power-backed with a 15Kw generator. However, all employees of the school have
access to the basement.
ii. “Crow’s nest” in Manila High School. This is a second-floor (Mezzanine) room
which is the location of the district core router/switch as well as UEN head end
equipment (microwave radios, routers, etc. Behind a single locked door. We need
to upgrade the security of this location. Backed with UPS power only. UEN
equipment is separately backed with an array of battery power. There is no backup
generator; we will address this need with district capital funds.
iii. Tech closet at Flaming Gorge Elementary in Dutch John, UT. This is behind a single
locked door in the building’s library. It houses a single layer-3 switch, as well as
two servers. UEN microwave radio equipment is racked here. This room is UPS
backed, but there is no generator. No sensitive data are in this location, but it
could provide a physical-access breach location.
iv. Additionally, there is a series of mountain-top microwave radio sites via which our
internet connectivity is established. These comprise the microwave path from
Vernal to Manila & Dutch John. The Dutch John Ridge and Grizzly Ridge locations
are monitored with security cameras, but intrusion would not be difficult. About a year ago, there was a break-in attempt at the Dutch John Ridge site, resulting in
damage to the door and lockset. These were repaired, but the hardening of the
building is desirable. UEN has now installed inside and outside security cameras at
this location as well as on Grizzly Ridge. Over time, as UEN is able to bring up fiber
optic circuits, these radio sites will be less critical. b. We have reduced the number of switch locations. Most switches are now located in locked areas
or in relatively inaccessible above-ceiling locations.
i. Aside from those mentioned above, there are switches in the high school
office, FACS classroom, business ed lab, and AgEd classroom. The AgEd and
FACS switches will be eliminated by the summer of 2017 in favor of the
central switches in the “crows nest.”
ii. There are three switches in the server room. One of these serves the
Manila Elementary classrooms.
iii. There is one switch in a locked closet in the Manila Elementary principal’s
office.
iv. There is one switch in the district office building, located in the
maintenance office. c. The server room should be secured with a secondary lock requiring a keycode. The
crows nest door needs a locking entry set (it currently does not lock; the only security is
the locked door to the janitorial closet). d. The crows nest and the Flaming Gorge location both need to be backed with generator
power to maintain critical systems and student access. Both the high school and Flaming
Gorge school are civil defense shelter locations for their respective locations.
Internal Audit: System security
a. Firewall: The district is protected by a FortiGate 240D firewall appliance. Firewall
configuration is managed with the active assistance of Mark Houtz, NUES network
engineer.
b. The district employs a “wildcard” SSL certificate from DigiCert. All critical systems
(servers, appliances––filters and firewalls––,and core switches) have this certificate
installed and use SSL protocols.
c. One of our critical systems (Alio––used for district financial record-keeping) is
housed at NUES. NUES provides security for this; connection is restricted to
necessary users and is not available outside the UEN IP address space.
d. District servers (Active Directory, Open Directory etc.) are not outward facing.
i. We have LDAP connections to a few outside service providers including
OverDrive (online books) and Canvas/Instructure LMS. These connections
provide access to basic login information only to facilitate single sign-on
(SSO). No data beyond Active Directory username and password is
synchronized with these providers; all are bound under FERPA-level
agreements.
ii. Student and employee access to personal files uses Office365 and G-Suite
(formerly known as Google Apps for Education). These are both synchronized via LDAP. The sync is one-way; changes on the O365 or G
Suite is restricted to the district technology director and do not
propogate back to Active Directory. e. Email is hosted by Microsoft (Office365) and Google (G-Suite). We no longer host
any email service within the district. We no longer allow POP3 mail transport. The
only outward-facing web servers are a Windows 2012 server (IIS) for the Aspire SIS
system and a Windows server for our weather system; neither are connected to
Active Directory to avoid unnecessary exposure to compromise. The primary district
web space is hosted by IES/Cyberschool. While many devices (e.g. printers, switches,
WiFi access points) have integrated web servers, access to these is IP- and port-
blocked at the firewall. f. User home folders are housed on a Dell Windows 2012 server. g. Password management: Secure passwords are required of all users. User passwords
are 9-11 character using upper- and lower-case alphabetics, numeric and special
symbols. Passwords are changed at an interval selected by the technology director. h. The Aspire SIS system is housed on a split system. There is an MS SQL server which is
housed in the secure server room. Login access is restricted to the district
technology director and a narrow range of IPs at USBE per their requirements for
ASPIRE. The ASPIRE binaries (Fox Pro database shell commands) are housed on a
Synology storage server; access is limited to about five users on a demonstrated-
need basis. The ASPIRE web server is outward facing, requires SSL, and is port-
protected by the Fortinet firewall. i. We use Sophos antivirus protection which is centrally managed. This has been
effective in the past, but as we have migrated to the Mac OS platform, it is less
useful. The Sophos Management engine has been difficult to maintain in an
operational state; we have experienced problems getting the system to update
properly. We are exploring the implementation of anti-ransomware protection. Our
Fortigate firewall offers some anti-virus properties, but has insufficient granularity to
its implementation. j. We filter internet access with a Lightspeed Rocket appliance. This has been quite
satisfactory, but like all filters, it is not 100% effective. It is capable of SSL inspection,
at the sacrifice of speed. It offers a significant degree of granularity in its filtering
processes. Like every current filtering system, its effectiveness will be reduced as SSL
packet inspection becomes impossible. Web browser providers are implementing
end-to-end inscription to eliminate “man in the middle attacks” but this renders SSL
decryption moot. k. Access: Students computers, both wired and wireless, are joined to a VLAN
determined by their building location. Employees are joined to a separate VLAN
irrespective of their location. A guest WiFi network is turned on and off according to
need; it is not left open due to bandwidth constraints and filtering requirements.
Security cameras occupy a separate VLAN, as does our phone system.
External Audit
We will engage UEN to conduct a security audit in 2017 or early 2018. As the lead time for this is one-two years, we will engage with others within the NUES community to assist with self-audits. The district technology director has initiated this discussion with the NUES technology group. At the SaintCON recently concluded, SEDC presented their system for technology self-audits.
5. Mitigation of security lapses
Daggett SD participates in a network security insurance pool through NUES; insurance is provided by AON. This covers systems within the District, as well as data and servers housed at NUES which host sensitive District data, including payroll information. The cost of insurance, as well as any costs incurred due to a breach (deductibles) is borne by the District. NO server within Daggett SD contains any data which includes Social
Security numbers of either students, employees or patrons. All such data were purged many years ago in the interest of data security.
Outstanding needs:
We need to implement an intrusion-detection system and active network monitoring.
6. User safety, awareness and training
a. We have used the NetSafe Utah program for several years to provide internet safety
awareness to students, faculty and parents. Annual instruction is provided. Staff awareness of internet safety and internet “hazards” is quite low. Student and staff
recognition of malware characteristics, phishing attempts, ransomware and spam is
low.
b. Mitigation/remediation: the EdTech director will actively engage with staff and
students to increase awareness. The EdTech director, NUES engineer, and NUES tech
trainer will create Canvas course(s) for staff and students, and will provide in-person
professional development training on recognition, avoidance, consequences and
mitigation of internet safety and security breaches. We will seek alternatives to
NetSafe to teach students, staff and parents about digital citizenship, internet safety
and etiquette. The EdTech director will meet with key personnel (business manager,
administrators and data custodians) to reinforce steps to prevent security breaches
and FERPA violations whether from breaches or inadvertent disclosure.
c. Teachers and staff are not restricted in their access to social media websites,
including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram etc. Students are currently
prevented from accessing social media websites during instructional hours, but the
restriction is lifted at the conclusion of the regular school day. Teachers are
encouraged to participate in #utedchat, a statewide Twitter discussion of education-
relevant topics each Wednesday evening.
XII. Budget
Part A: Current Technology Expenditures
Below, of the $142,565 for Direct Costs, $14,908 was paid for Supplies and Materials; $7,054 of the
$14,908 was paid from Trustland funds. Other sources of funding were REAP, UPASS and the General
Account. For Property, of the $68,902, $29,428 was paid from Trustland funds and $10,860 came from
Capital funds. Trustland funds fluctuate depending on the identified improvement projects in each school.
Description 2015-2016
A. 100 Salaries 86,493
B. 200 Employee Benefits 40,271
C. 300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services 2,906
F. 580 Travel 893
G. 600 Supplies and Materials 14,908
I. Sub-Total Direct Costs 142,565
L. Property 68,902
M. Total 211,467
One-time Verses On-going Money
Looking forward, we have the following budget for the 2016-2017 school year. Sources of funding include REAP, UPASS Trustlands, General and Capital funds. None of the funds we are currently using are one-time grants or one-time commitments—every source is on-going (as much as that is actually possible). REAP is on-going; Trustland money is on-going; the General and Capital funds from the
District are on-going.
Description 2016-2017
A. 100 Salaries 86,478
B. 200 Employee Benefits 41,191
C. 300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services 15,000
D. 400 Purchased Property Service 0
E. 500 Other Purchased Service 0
F. 580 Travel 0
G. 600 Supplies and Materials 0
H. 800 Other 0
I. Sub-Total Direct Costs 142,669
L. Property 73,200
M. Total 215,869
Part B: Budget for Grant Funding Year 1-3
We plan to use the grant funding to provide professional development for the implementation of
Canvas delivered coursework. In the first year, there will be 4 teachers and 2 administrators involved; in the second year, we will add 4 more teachers; in the third year, we project that another 4 teachers will be involved. After three years, there will be 12 teachers and 2 administrators involved in the project.
Realistic Costs Associated with this State Funding We intend on paying teachers and administrators a stipend for each course created on the Canvas system. 60 courses created at $2000 per course is our minimum intention. The budget below is an estimation of the implementation of the project based on the $2000 per course. Most of this creation work will be done in the summers. We think the budget below is what it is going to take to complete our work. We recognize that the first year funding level is consistent with our first year budget. We are anticipating that State commitment to the Digital Grant will increase. Should increases not occur, we will have to find alternative sources of funding or be forced to scale the project back.
Description Year 1 Request Year 2 Request Year 3 Request Total Request
A. 100 Salaries 20,000 40,0000 60,000 120,000
B. 200 Benefits 10,000 20,000 30,000 60,000
M. Totals 30,000 60,000 90,000 180,000
The Budget specific to the amounts available through this grant is attached to this document as DTL
Section 12 Budget Sheet.
Part C: Possible Increase in Funding
A 10% increase in funding would amount to approximately $3,000. We would just add it to the pot of money being used for professional development.
Part D: Projection for Future Support Costs
The committee thinks that the District will need to add another .5 to 1.0 FTE in the Technology
Department in order increase the level of support needed to sustain this project. A full-time person will cost anywhere from $60,000 to $85,000
Part E: Sustainability
For this project, sustainability is a not a forever issue. Once we have the courses built, they are District property and can be re-used indefinitely. The cost for us is in the startup—the amount of professional development time needed in the first instance will be the bulk of the expense to transition to Canvas delivered coursework. . At the beginning of the Canvas portion of the project, we anticipate higher professional development costs as stated above. As we employ new teachers we anticipate that those startup costs will decrease because teachers will come to us already trained about how to deliver course via an LMS as part of their preservice preparation.
In-District networking, hardware, software, etc., in the long-term will come from the revenue streams currently in place. We will continue to use the resources we have to sustain this technology effort. This includes a commitment to fund the costs of the servers and intranet, the one-to-one devices we already have, the consortium costs to provide the licenses for Edgenuity and Canvas, etc. We will be sustaining the in what we already have indefinitely. This is how we will be conducting business in the future. We have been and will continue to change the culture of learning in the District. This change is better for the students and parents of the District. The School Board and administration of the District are committed to growing the personalized learning environment in the district and enhancing access to digital curriculum. We are going to do this with or without this grant—this grant will help us meet our goals faster than we otherwise could.
We already have a commitment from UETN to help us with fiber connectivity and some of the costs of training. Similarly, we have a commitment from NUES to help with some of the training costs.
Recapture of Existing Costs Already, we do not spend a lot of money on textbooks. We anticipate that there will be some recapture of textbook funds currently being spent on Math, Social Studies and Science. We anticipate that the
Canvas project will include digital textbooks and/or OER curriculum that will cost much less than textbooks. These recaptured funds will be repurposed to help sustain software licensing.