Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the Department of Education is fully implementing the consolidated school improvement planning process that brings together the school improvement plan, the technology plan, a professional development plan, the Title I, ESEA application, and Title VI, ESEA application into one document. A series of training sessions is on-going in each of the regional service cooperative areas and in Pulaski County to acquaint superintendents and principals with a computer-driven software program that provides a template for entering components of the school’s plan. The coming school year will be viewed as a transition year for this process, especially with the Title I and Title VI applications.
With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, the Department is pleased to provide the school improvement planning software (Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan – ACSIP). Directions for downloading the software are provided as part of the summer training event. Additionally, those attending have the opportunity to learn about the Educational Data Delivery System (EDDS), which is provided via the Office of Research and Measurement in Education from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
In order to take full advantage of the technology and the capabilities of the Internet for information transfer, access to the ACSIP software and to the EDDS databases requires unique login and password information. Schools/districts should have that information. The process for transmitting the school improvement plan from each school and for submitting federal programs applications (Title I and Title VI) will also be via the Internet. Space has been reserved on the Department’s computer system to accommodate each school’s plan and the district’s federal programs applications.
Under separate cover via mail service, each school district will receive a unique login name and password that will enable schools within the district to submit these documents to the Department electronically over a secure transmission network. Once submitted electronically, Department staff will be able to review the documents and respond in a timely manner. As has been stressed previously, the 2001-2002 school year will be a transition year with full implementation the following year.
These are exciting times and provide great opportunity for new learning for both the local school staff and Department of Education employees.