Rule 160-1-4-.263 - Title IID, "Enhancing Education Through Technology" (Ed Tech) Competitive Grants(1)Purpose of Program. According to ESEA legislation and US-ED Program Guidance, the primary goal of this program is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology (see http://www.ed.gov/programs/edtech/guidance.doc and http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg34.html#sec2401.) In Georgia, this grant will specifically address a statewide need to improve instruction to meet the needs of the 21st Century learner and impact overall student achievement. The program will also: (a) Assist every student - regardless of race, ethnicity, income, geographical location, or disability - in becoming technologically literate by the end of the eighth grade;(b) Encourage the effective integration of technology resources and systems through professional development and curriculum development to promote research-based instructional methods that can be widely replicated;(c) Increase the LEA's capacity to design and implement program evaluation.(2)Terms and Conditions. Recipients must meet eligibility requirements for high economic and academic need as developed and published by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). Recipients also agree to comply with the Georgia Department of Education evaluation program and to submit annual reports to provide program data and funding accountability. Such reports are collected by the Georgia Department of Education and sent to the United States Department of Education (US-ED).(3)Eligible Recipients. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandates that the Georgia Department of Education set eligibility criteria for the Title II-D competitive grants to ensure that LEAs applying for funds are among those with the "highest needs" in the state. The Georgia Department of Education's criteria for determining "high need" eligibility for the FY08 competition are as follows.(a) An LEA shall be considered "high need" if:1. The percentage of children in poverty residing in the LEA's service area is above the state average of 17.77% according to the 2004 US Census poverty data provided to the Georgia Department of Education Title I programs, US-ED poverty data; AND2. The LEA has one or more schools identified as Needs Improvement for one or more years according to the 2007 Needs Improvement Report; OR3. The ratio of students to computers in the LEA's service area is above the state average of 3.34 students to computers according to the 2006-2007 State Technology Inventory Survey.(4)Criteria for Award. Grants are authorized to eligible school systems submitting the highest-quality proposals in a statewide competition for available grant funds. The proposals are reviewed by five readers recruited and trained by the Georgia Department of Education.(a) In accordance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and program guidance, preference will be given to proposals that contain the following: 1. Clearly established and documented academic need in reading, math, social studies, and/or science.2. Clearly identified goals and benchmarks for improved academic performance in the critical need area.3. Promising research-based, standards-based instructional strategies involving technology that should bolster student performance in critical academic need area(s).4. High-quality professional development programs that should increase educators' capacity to implement designated strategies.5. Strategies that increase family involvement in children's education for the purpose of increasing student achievement.6. Research-based, standards-based strategies that utilize high-quality partnerships (such as those with state professional development providers such as universities, Educational Technology Centers (ETCs), and regional educational service agencies (RESAs); successful schools with similar characteristics; and/or for-profit or not-for profit organizations) for the purpose of increasing student achievement.7. High-quality evaluation plans that chart progress on the essential conditions needed for effective technology use, such as, access to technology staff readiness, frequency/range/context of technology use in classrooms and media centers, and the impact of effective use on student achievement.8. Dissemination strategies that will maximize grant results/products for other populations throughout the state, especially by sharing successful instructional materials through GeorgiaStandards.org.9. Detailed action plan with time lines, assigned tasks, and budgets.(5)Directions and Deadlines for Applying. Please see the Georgia Department of Education website for deadlines and application procedures. http://www.gadoe.org/it.aspx Click link: Title II-D - Enhancing Education Through Technology. Requests for information should be made to the Instructional Technology Division, Office of Technology Services, Georgia Department of Education, 1952 Twin Towers East, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 160-1-4-.263
O.C.G.A. Secs. 20-2-14, 20-2-240.
Original grant description entitled "Title IID, "Enhancing Education Through Technology" (Ed Tech) Competitive Grants" submitted January 31, 2003.Submitted: March 1, 2007.Submitted: June 26, 2008.