The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, Educator Preparation and Development Plan

The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, Educator Preparation and Development Plan wants educators emerging from their respective college programs prepared for today’s 21st century learners and how to educate them using up-to-date technology. Professional development for these educators will need to keep them on the leading edge of technology through the use of mentoring, co-learning, distance and online educational programs.

Educator Preparation and Development is currently the lowest performing area of the Texas Long Range Plan according to the Texas STaR Chart, 2008-2009. Seventy-five percent of the Texas schools reporting fell into the early or developing technology category of the report. Although this is a seven percent improvement over the first report year, 2006-2007, there are still great strides required in this area to meet the goals of the plan.

Texas has the enterprising goal that by 2020 students will be prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century and its technology. The state can achieve this by implementing school programs focusing on learner-centered projects using technology, vertically aligned technology curriculum, 24/7 student access to online resources, all educators meeting state education standards in technology, administrators focusing on the integration of technology, and schools using a minimum of thirty percent of their professional development budget on technology training.

Schools are slowly but surely going to come close to meeting or exceeding this plan’s goal by the year 2020. The first steps in many schools are to build up the necessary infrastructure and get leadership, administrative, and instructional support so the other areas such as educator preparation and development can grow. These two areas are currently with the majority being in the advanced tech area and slowly rising which is a sure sign of progress and future success.