Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL)
Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Santa Cruz, CA
Introduction/Overview
Organizational Change
Budget & Finance
Professional Development
Technology Infrastructure
Outcomes
Evaluation
Contact Information
Introduction/Overview
The Education Technology Office of the California Department of Education worked with the 11 California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP) Region Directors to define this Statewide Education Technology Service (SETS). In 1998, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education was selected to create the Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL), with Rowland Baker as the Project Director.
The TICAL services include:
· Providing professional development focused on digital school leadership for education administrators in the areas of data-driven decisionmaking, integrating technology into standards-based curriculum, technology planning, professional development needs of staff, financial planning for technology, and operations and maintenance. Professional development is conducted through a series of workshops provided by TICAL cadre members throughout the state as well as through online presentations and discussion groups on the project's Web site.
· Maintaining a Web portal that features hundreds of resources that have been reviewed and recommended by practicing administrators to assist with digital school leadership. The portal is frequently augmented with current content that provides just-in-time assistance for administrators.
· Organizing and linking resources to specific areas of interest, such as the Technology Standards for School Administrators (as adopted by the International Society for Technology in Education) and the Assembly Bill 75 Principal Training Program.
· Presenting information about TICAL for stakeholder organizations and groups.
· Contributing informational articles that promote digital school leadership to professional publications.
· Collecting, analyzing, and using quantitative and qualitative data that may be used to modify the project, as necessary, to meet constituents' needs.
The TICAL Project has been active for the past 6 years. As per legislation (SB 1254) that passed this year, the project will be funded for 5 more years.
The rationale for the project was stated in AB 1761, Section 51872, (b):
(b) Funding to support the activities described in subdivision (a), including educational technology services which are more efficiently and effectively delivered at a statewide level, shall be provided to the State Department of Education through the annual Budget Act. Based upon recommendations from the California Technology Assistance Project and other interested parties, the State Board of Education shall fund school districts and county offices of education to provide centralized statewide educational technology services that address locally defined needs but that are more efficiently and effectively provided on a statewide basis.
Organizational Change
To determine the SETS Projects, which included the TICAL Project to be funded, the Education Technology Office used the following process:
· The 11 CTAP Regions conducted surveys to identify needs that could be addressed on a statewide basis.
· The Education Technology Office held three meetings across the state and invited school districts, county offices of education, institutes of higher education, and private sector representatives to provide input on potential SETS projects.
· Based upon the stakeholder input, the three SETS Projects were identified and an Request for Proposals (RFP) was released.
· The proposals were reviewed and the recommended proposals were submitted to the State Board of Education for approval.
Budget & Finance
The annual budget for the TICAL Project is $605,000. The project is a line item in the state budget, as per the AB 1761 legislation.
Professional Development
As part of the project, the professional development is conducted through a series of workshops provided by TICAL cadre members throughout the state as well as through online presentations and discussion groups on the project's Web site.
Technology Infrastructure
The contract with the TICAL provider includes funding for the necessary hardware and infrastructure to maintain the Web site and its resources. The contract was amended this year to include funding for video streaming hardware for online presentations and professional development.
Outcomes
Administrators surveyed report that TICAL benefits them most by saving them time, linking them to high-quality technology resources, and assisting them in the technology planning process. In addition, administrators use the site for professional development, data-driven decisionmaking, and personal productivity. Estimates of the value of “administrator time saved” exceed $2 million per year. One-hundred percent of administrators surveyed reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with TICAL. Since TICAL was launched, use has increased by more than 400 percent. TICAL has also facilitated the development of a strong network of key school leaders across the state who have a sophisticated vision of technology and serve as models and mentors to their peers.
Evaluation
A chief reason for TICAL’s success has been the involvement of practicing administrators from the outset. The TICAL Leadership Cadre is composed of superintendents, directors, principals, and other school leaders, each of whom represents a different geographic region of the state. The cadre began its involvement in the design process and has gone on to popularize the site through regional workshops and orientation sessions. Cadre members review and contribute new resources and participate in online discussions. Another success factor has been TICAL’s partnership with other statewide organizations, including the Association of California School Administrators. TICAL is easily scalable and, in fact, has already been successfully replicated in the state of Arkansas.
Contact Information
Rowland
Baker
rowbake@santacruz.k12.ca.us
831-479-5323
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