April 2003 — Features
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Technology for Charter Schools Too: A Team-Based Training Model
Last summer, 100 minnesota teachers, administrators and technology coordinators from 15 schools - 11 of which were charter schools - confirmed their commitment to improving technology integration in K-12 education by attending the Teams for Technology (T4T) training program. T4T, a Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF) grant project funded by Minnesota, was designed and implemented by vivED Corp. and the University of St. Thomas' School of Education to provide administrators and teachers with the tools and skills required to make systemwide technology integration possible. Dubbed "Teams for Technology," the intent was to create a new level of cooperation between school leaders and teachers by providing them with a better understanding of education technology and the specific challenges encountered by each group in the school community.
Charter Schools' Growth
Charter schools are a growing phenomenon in education. In September 2002, there were 79 charter schools in Minnesota alone. Since becoming the first state in the nation to authorize charter schools in 1991, Minnesota, like many other states, has experienced a steady growth in the number of requests to districts and the state for charter school authorization. Those wishing to start a charter school must obtain a sponsorship from a state-approved nonprofit organization (in Minnesota) or a district. An existing school board may also convert one or more of its institutions to charter school status if 60% of a school's teachers sign a petition approving conversion. Much work g'es into these applications, although approval is not guaranteed.
While more and more charter schools are opening in Minnesota and across the nation, those involved will tell you the task is not easy. Charter developers are modern-day pioneers. They are the educational entrepreneurs responsible for building a school from the ground up. Because of the overwhelming start-up need to address curriculum, staffing, student recruitment, budget and so forth, technology planning and implementation are often forgotten; left until the last stages of planning. Even worse, they are sometimes simply ignored.
A Team Approach to Funding
Charter schools are funded much like traditional public schools. However, they do not have the usual district-supported resources to lean on, leaving charter groups to fend for themselves in many critical areas. This lack of resources also means that charter groups have to seek other funding and grants for such needs as transportation, special education and technology support. On the other hand, this disconnection from a school district is often what draws charter developers to start schools.
But the downside still remains: Difficult economic times have resulted in funding and staff cuts at the district level. To develop a model to serve these similar needs, the T4T proposal identified 11 charter schools, two public elementary schools and two alternative schools that were willing to work together to solve these problems.
In order to compete for a large-scale technology grant from the state, these 11 schools worked with vivED to collect data that would clearly show a common need.
