Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District (ISD) is seeking feedback from parents, students, and educators to help design the district’s Technology Plan.
To collect feedback, the school district released a brief online survey about respondents’ technology experiences and preferences. Students and parents are being asked to share their opinions about technology options in the classroom and other learning experiences. Educators will weigh in on what instruction technology they would like to use. The school district says its design team will use the data to help build the Fort Worth ISD Technology Master Plan.
Currently, the school district is using a district technology plan that was intended to cover 2017-2020. The existing plan was developed during the 2016-2017 school year by the 66-member Technology Advisory Committee. The school district said the committee met, analyzed data, and planned for technology implementation and integration for the years 2017-2020.
The current plan covers the district’s four primary goals:
- Increasing student achievement;
- Improving operational effectiveness and efficiency;
- Enhancing family and community engagement; and
- Developing a workforce that is student and customer-centered.
Under the current plan, the school district had an objective to “explore internet home access for students.” While the plan was developed well before the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic highlighted the necessity of reliable internet access at home.
As part of the new survey, the school district is asking whether students and their families received a district-provided hotspot to ensure reliable internet access. The survey also asks whether a student would have had reliable, high-speed internet access without the district providing a hotspot.
Additionally, the survey also asks what types of technology students have access to in the home, whether they are using a district device, and whether students would have had consistent access to a tablet or laptop for remote learning.
Responses are due by August 16. The school district has not appeared to announce when it anticipates releasing the updated technology plan.
