Schools to pursue technology grants Adam Kaye ENCINITAS
– The local school board has given preliminary approval for five of its nine schools
to apply for state funds to make teachers more computer literate. Receiving
“Education Technology Staff Development Program” funds from the state could mean
a windfall of $20 for every student in the fourth, fifth
and sixth grades at Flora Vista, Mission Estancia, Ocean
Knoll, Park Dale Lane and Paul Ecke
Central elementaries. If
the new grant is funded, the Encinitas
Union School District could receive up to $22,520
for the five schools. To date, four
of the district's schools have
garnered $38,600 in technology
training funds. “The
state has given money to districts to
buy equipment, then found that
districts were not understanding what
to do with the technology," said Nancy Cunningham, the districts Director of
Support Services. "Now money comes no longer to buy
equipment but also to
train.” Computer
training for teachers "is a critical area" said Teri Bums, deputy superintendent for government affairs with the California Department of Education. Many districts that receive donated equipment don’t know how to operate it, she said. “Every district in
the state has had that problem in some
form or another," Bums said. To qualify for the funds, schools must have Internet access and a ratio of one modern computer for every 10 students. One way students and teachers have applied technology at Encinitas elementary schools in the last few years has been to develop individual Web sites. |
