January 2004 — Features
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Successful Strategies for Saving & Securing Technology Funding
NCLB Opportunities
The No Child Left Behind Act has implications in relation to technology funding, and school systems need to be aware of the new policy standards and guidelines to maximize eligibility for funding. Thereare opportunities for both using and funding technology through different programs and requirements mandated by NCLB. An example of one such opportunity would be school-parent communication, which has more than 40 provisions in the act. In addition, two training areas that are addressed in NCLB - paraprofessional training and state teacher certification - can be positively affected by technology through the use of online classes and staff development. These are only two of several ways that creative district officials can use NCLB to show a need for increased technology funding (Blaschke 2003).
Valuable Online Resources
Finally, school district technology officials need to use the resources they proclaim. The Internet has a wealth of information on wise budgeting in relation to school districts and technology. One such Web site, maintained by the Consortium for School Networking, is called "Taking TCO to the Classroom" (http://classroomtco.cosn.org), which has just about everything a technology coordinator needs to make the most of the budgeting process, including a concise checklist for technology budgeting. This is only one of many valuable resources that tech coordinators can access to give their school districts the edge in obtaining and sustaining the funds necessary to keep up with the ever-changing face of tomorrow’s technology trends.
References
Blaschke, C. 2003. "10 Technology Funding Sources in NCLB." T.H.E. Journal (May).
Brooks-Young, S. 2003. "Funding Success Stories." Technology & Learning Magazine (June).
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