ePlan

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e-Plan

• December 7, 2004

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Learning outcomes

• Tech Plan info from E-Rate
• Additional info on E-Rate reqmts
• Texas 04-05 information
• Campus STaR Chart linkage
• e-Plan System changes
• Yr. 7 Approvals
• Yr. 8 Submittals
• Yr. 8 Reviewers

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Technology PlanningCatriona Ayer

Train-the-Trainer Workshop Schools Libraries
Division
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4th and 5th Report and Order

• Technology planning requirements now codified in
  federal rules
• Timing of Technology Plans
• Content of Technology Plans
• EETT Plans

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Five Criteria Goals

• The plan must establish clear goals and a
  realistic strategy for using telecommunications
  and information technology to improve education
  or library services.

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Five Criteria Professional Development

• The plan must have a professional development
  strategy to ensure that staff know how to use
  these new technologies to improve education or
  library services.

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Five Criteria Needs Assessment

• The plan must include an assessment of the
  telecommunication services, hardware, software,
  and other services that will be needed to improve
  education or library services.

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Five Criteria Budget

• The plan must provide for a sufficient budget to
  acquire and support the non-discounted elements
  of the plan the hardware, software, professional
  development, and other services that will be
  needed to implement the strategy.

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Five Criteria Evaluation

• The plan must include an evaluation process that
  enables the school or library to monitor progress
  toward the specified goals and make mid-course
  corrections in response to new developments and
  opportunities as they arise.

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When Do I Need a Tech Plan?

• Not needed if you are seeking only
• Basic local, PCS, cellular, and/or long distance
  telephone service and/or voice mail
• Needed for if you are seeking any of these
• Telecommunications other than local/long
  distance T1s, ISDN, Centrex, etc.
• Internet Access
• Internal Connections

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Timing

• Technology plans must be written before
  submission of the Form 470.
• applicants are still expected to develop a
  technology plan prior to requesting bids on
  services in the FCC Form 470. (5th RO at 56)
• Technology Plans must be approved before services
  start and submission of the Form 486.
• applicants formally certify, in FCC Form 486,
  that the technology plans on which they based
  their purchases were approved before they began
  to receive service. (5 RO at 56)

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Tech Plan and Services Requested

• Technology plans support and validate the
  services requested on the Forms 470 and 471.
  Specific services requested must be consistent
  with the applicants technology plan.
• Technology plans, not Forms 470, are the
  appropriate vehicle to research and plan for
  technology needs.
• If you want to order services beyond the scope of
  the existing plan, you have to prepare and timely
  submit a new plan for approval.

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Plan Approval

• Technology plans approved for EETT are deemed
  valid for E-rate if accompanied by additional
  budget documentation.

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Certified Tech Plan Approvers

• Public schools ? State Education Agency (SEA)
• Public libraries ? State Library
• Non-public school ? SLD Certified Approvers
  (Associations) or SEA
• Technology Plan Approver Locator
• Search by state and entity type

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PIA Following Up

• Checks during application review
• Assuring that Technology Plan is written
• Checks after filing of Form 486
• Assuring that Technology Plan is approved

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Documenting Compliance(It is your responsibility
to)

• Ensure that Technology Plan covers entirety of
  current Funding Year.
• Ensure that Technology Plan contains five
  required elements.
• Retain copy of Technology Plan Approval
  notification.
• Keep Technology Plan up to date and implement
  Evaluation component.

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End of USACs slides
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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• Does Basic Telephone Service need to be in my
  tech plan?
• NO but OK
• What is proof of a written plan?
• 2 options
• Submit for approval in e-Plan
• A dated copy of your plan

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• What is a significant change?
• New requests that are not included in plan
• i.e. never had Distance Learning
• i.e. never had Centrex (or similar) system
• Upgrade of same type of service is not
  significant
• i.e. T1 to DS3
• Note Support by results of evaluation, update to
  needs assessment, budget, etc.

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• Is my plan detailed enough?
• Sufficient detail to support and validate your
  requests
• How will the services you receive be used to
  improve schools and student achievement?
• Bigger the implementation more detail required,
  more likely to be reviewed

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• New Construction?
• Must be addressed in plan
• New data drops for new school will be used to
  access technology services as addressed in tech
  plan

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• Is there a amount that triggers approval
  requirement?
• No threshold
• Update your budget
• Ensure there is a statement that you can afford
  higher budget matching
• Show need through evaluation of prior services
• Addition of new type of service triggers new
  approval requirement

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• Key show you are evaluating your plan yearly
  and making necessary adjustments
• Not implementing your evaluation plan ? E-Rate
  audit finding puts your funding at risk (pre or
  post funding)

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• For all new additions
• Update Plan with the results of needs assessment
  / evaluations

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• Budget reqmts from year to year
• Lower or higher each year?
• No magic formula
• If Year 1 has a new implementation it will be
  larger than Year 2
• Level funding is logical for Maintenance Services
• Evaluation should show that costs have increased

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• How do I reflect no E-Rate funding in my
  approved tech plan?
• Consider implementation on hold and will be
  moved to the next year. --- document this in
  plan update
• Will this extend my 3 year approval by another
  year?
• No

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Additional Info on E-Rate Reqmts

• My 1 year approved plan was not funded for
  E-Rate. What do I need to do?
• Copy Yr 7 to Yr 8
• Make any changes that Yr. 7 reviewers suggested
  if you want to be considered for a multiple year
  approval
• Notate that you were not funded for E-Rate the
  previous year

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Texas Technology Planning Info

• http//tpesc.esc12.net/eplanassist.html
• 04-05 FAQs (updated regularly)
• e-Plan www.sedl.org/eplan

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Texas Technology Planning Info

• Nov 1 Yr. 8 Submit for Approval is open
• Jan 3 Update Submission opens
• Mar 31 Deadline for approval before
• July 1, 2005
• Feb Mar Yr. 8 Reviewer Training
• June 30 Update Deadline

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Campus STaR Chart linkage

• Year 7 approvals ? current Campus Charts
• Campus Chart completion for e-Plan automated now
  (within an hour)
• Campus lists AskTED
• Exception Process
• Campus numbers and reason for exclusion

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Campus STaR Chart linkage

• Exclusions
• Campus within a campus
• Same building
• Same teachers
• Separate building (non-regular campuses)
• No E-Rate funding requested (i.e. no internet)
• Send TPESC questions about others

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e-Plan System Changes

• Year 7 -- Funding cant start until approval
• ESCs should check regularly to expedite reviews
• ESCs approve plans that just need revisions
• Yr. 7 Reviewers review new submissions
• Can Fax us the signed Certification Page
• 254-666-0823

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Year 8 Submittals

• New Plans or Plans whose approval year has ended
  and are seeking a new approval
• Significantly Changed Plans approval years have
  not ended but we need to seek a new approval due
  to changes in services

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New Plans

• First Time e-Plan
• Prior plan approval has expired
• 1 year approvals
• May want copy from Yr 7 to Yr 8
• If requested 3 years last year, but were only
  approved for 1 year
• Note reviewer comments

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Significantly Changed Plans

• Copy Yr 7 to Yr 8
• Approval not expired

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Watch for verbage changes
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techplan_at_esc12.net
http//tpesc.esc12.net/eplanassist.html
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Recap

• All tech plans need an action in the 04-05 year
• If in 03-04 your plan was approved for 3 years,
  the budget copies over a little goofy.
• All campuses in AskTed are required to submit
  STaR chart (exemptions must be requested from
  Tech Plan assistance center question to ask
  is..Do they receive e-rate funding?)
• Include Pager service in tech plan. If applying
  for telecommunications, not significant change,
  but need to include