Policies & Regulations:

Of Technology In a Pre-Kindergarten School

INTRODUCTION

Policies and regulations shape and guide everything within our society and within our lives. . . . including pre-kindergarten education

Pre-K Regulation

Pre-K Schools face an array of state mandated regulations and policies; and a number of others that are strongly suggested. These cover:

• Licensure & Permitting• Safety• Health• Record Keeping

• Teacher Credentialing• Student Density per Instructor• Reporting• Physical Facilities

Pre-K TechnologyStandards

• Guidelines also extend to the technology used and taught in the Pre-K school environment. “Providing access to a variety of technologies is critical in

the development of 21st century skills that young children need to learn and grow.

“They develop techniques for handling and controlling various devices, becoming increasingly confident and independent users of age appropriate technologies.”‐

TEA Revised Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines, 2008

Technological Protocol for Schools & Teachers

• Schools should have and use a protocol of policies & regulations for guiding the use of technology for:

Standards of use Professional ethics Copyright protection & fair use Utilization, application, & integration Distance delivery Internet use Reconsideration of challenged

materials School library media programs

Technological Protocol (Continued)

• These protocols ensure:

a high level of professional ethicsassure design, utilization, and

implementation of new software and resource applications

All meeting state policies and regulations within a Pre-K environment

Background Info About Forever Growing Pre-K School

• Forever GrowingFounded in 1990 in Alvin, Texas by Denise WestOriginally operated as an in-home daycare and

after school programCurriculum designed to integrate academic skills

as well as social interactions in children ages 2-5. Teaches academic and reading readiness through

situational problem solving, phonological and phonemic awareness, and social dialogue.

Specific Area of Interest

• School Code of Conduct• Stewardship Protocols for technology

Do they meet professional standards

&governmental guidelines

Analysis of the School’s History & Growth

• Embraced an optimistic vision and a determined outlook.

• Experienced many challenges and numerous triumphs.

• Learned from the obstacles and victories

• Believe that the school can overcome any adversity in order to achieve success

• 1990 - Began with 5 students and grew to 12 students in just a couple of months.

• 1991 - School overcrowding caused children to be turned away.

• 1994 - After-school program abandoned order to better assist the future progress of the school.

• Currently – Supports a wonderful staff, a great facility and a prominent curriculum. Enrolls almost 100 full and part time students each year in their pre-kindergarten program.

Strength & Weakness Summary

• Strengths– Strong management system– High quality curriculum– Effective teacher training

and staff development

• Weaknesses– Obtaining financial capital– Utilizing media instructional

technology– Developing effective

marketing materials

Responses & Results of the School’s Current Strategy

• Largest challenge is obtaining the financial capital which– Maintains the operations– Supports the acquisition and

implementation of resources– Improves the educational quality of its

programs

• Addressing these challenges– Implements a mixture of initiatives to both

raise funds and avoid costs.– Obtains full and partial scholarships from

local businesses to help off-set tuition costs– Receives assistance with fund raising

activities and donation matching from the community

– Acquires one time financial gifts– Teachers have voluntarily given up their pay

raises

• In spite of everything, there is not sufficient capital to acquire additional educational resources (technology implementation, training)

• Additional resources are needed – to support the school’s over-all efforts– to help students especially from lower

socio-economic family environments

• These additional resources will be leveraged to overcome the knowledge gap which many students possess when they first enroll in Forever Growing.

The Specific Problem

Ensuring the Forever Growing School has policies, regulations, and procedures in place to:• Meet state compliance

requirements• Meet professional ethics• Facilitate media utilization

and diffusion of technology.

AlternativesHigher Quality Professional Development to provide the knowledge and skills

necessary for professionals to do their job, particularly with new technology

Curriculum & Lesson Development meets the copyright and fair use guidelines, the standards for the use of instructional technology as well as the utilization, application, and integration of instructional technology

Quality Learning Environment a learning environment that consists of the materials, tools, resources, and organization needed by the curriculum and lesson to ensure higher academic success

Recommendations forFuture Strategies

Implement all of the alternatives noted. This provides:

Flexibility for adapting to future technology diffusion within the school

A stronger base for ethical performance and conduct

How Alternatives & Recommendations Relate

to AECT StandardsAECT 3.4.1 The design, adoption, utilization and implementation process

complies with the standards for using instructional technology.AECT 3.4.2 The Code of Conduct currently used by Forever Growing as well as the rewritten code

directly addresses this standard.

AECT 3.4.3 Forever Growing’s Code of Conduct within the learning environment alternative includes the procedures and professional behaviors guiding behaviors with copyright and fair use policy.

AECT 3.4.4 The professional development alternative and the learning environment alternative directly address this standard.

AECT 3.4.5 Forever Growing does not use distance delivery technologies. Therefore, this standard would not be applicable.

AECT 3.4.7 Forever Growing does not have a school library media program. Therefore, this standard would not be applicable.

AECT 3.4.8 Forever Growing’s Code of Conduct includes an internet acceptable use policy for both the teachers and the students in order to maintain a safe and secure learning environment.

AECT 3.4.10 Forever Growing does not have any challenged materials or a local school district. Therefore, this standard would not be applicable.

AECT 3.4.6 & 3.4.9 were not noted in the rubric

Conclusion

• Compliance requirements for Pre-K programs does not cause an extensive or complex problem for the Forever Growing School.

• The existing compliance structure within the school already meets most of these requirements.

• Adopting the alternatives and recommendations will further assist the school in preparing for the technology rich future.