Technology Plan & STaR Chart Listserv

April 2006

Technology Plan Submission Timelines
Districts with a technology plan that expires in June 2007, will have to write their new technology plan before submitting the Form 470 this fall . If audited by USAC auditors, one of the items of major interest is the district technology plan. Each district which has gone through a recent PIA review will testify that reviewers look through technology plans to assure the district intended to implement projects for which it intended to seek E-Rate discounts. With the new certification statement on the Form 471 and Form 471 9see below), the timeline is expected to be an area of interest to auditors. We receive requests at TPESC from USAC regarding technology plans from districts who are unable to prove they had a plan in place for particular funding years.

In the past, timelines have required the district have a technology plan and that it be approved by the beginning of service start date. However, beginning Year 9, before submitting the Form 470 districts are required to certify that the district:

•   had a written technology plan
•   covering all 12 months of the funding year for which you were seeking discounts (in this case July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008),
•   and would be certified by our state authorized body (The Texas Education Agency) by the beginning of service start date..

For E-Rate purposes, this means your technology plan must be completed by fall 2006 if your plan expires June 30, 2007.

For TEA purposes, if your technology plan is submitted by March 31st, TEA will assure your plan will be approved by July 1st, or the beginning of service start date for E-Rate. HOWEVER, for USAC purposes, you must use your Form 470 as your deadline for having a 'written plan'.

• If a district has a multi-year plan that spans through Year 10 (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008) and that plan includes reference to the items and services for which you are requesting E-Rate discounts, then the district is still free to submit your updated plan with the TEA desired March 31st deadline in mind.
• If the original or updated multi-year plan that spans through Year 10 does not include references to items and services for which the district seeks discount funding for Year 10, then the technology plan must be updated before submitting the Form 470 this fall.

Updated Plans
The amount of changes required to your plan is limited by the goals in the original plan. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that your technology plan include at least the four key areas of the Texas STaR Chart. Although the titles of these Key Areas may change somewhat as a result of the new Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, the broad categories are expected to be the same. These are:

•  Teaching and Learning
•  Educator Preparation and Development
•  Administration and Support Services
•  Infrastructure for Technology

With the inclusion of a district goal covering these areas, nearly every objective that might be considered in the future will fall under these broad key areas. This would include any additional or altered requirement of the LRPT

Updated plans allow you to alter nearly any aspect of the plan.

• You can add and objective or a strategy. 
• You can revise and objective or strategy.
• You cannot add a goal, however.
• You also cannot delete a goal, objective or strategy in an updated plan.
• Introduction pages, needs assessments, budgets and evaluation pages can be updated in an updated plan to reflect the current state of your district.

If you are unsure as to timeline for your plan, please feel free to the Technology Planning helpdesk: techplan@esc12.net

e-Plan Accessible
The Texas e-Plan system will allow districts to begin working on their Year 11 plan in April 2007. Although you will be able to begin working on your Year 11 plan, you will not be able to submit until September 1, 2007.

LRPT Correlates
The final Long Range Plan for Technology correlates have now been implemented in the Texas e-Plan system.