Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) Scope of section. The purpose of this
section is to establish standards and procedures for the awarding of learning
technology grants pursuant to section 550 of chapter 170 of the Laws of 1994 to
school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) for the
funding of learning technology programs, including services benefiting
nonpublic school students.
(b)
Definitions. For purposes of this section:
(1) School district shall mean a public
school district eligible for aid pursuant to section
3602 of the
Education Law, or a BOCES.
(2)
Nonpublic school students mean students entitled to attend the public schools
without payment of tuition who are enrolled in a nonpublic elementary, middle
or secondary school located within the area served by the school
district.
(3) Learning technology
program means a program involving training in, and the use of, learning
technologies to enhance classroom instruction, curriculum, assessment and
restructuring of the teaching and learning process that is approved by the
school district for use in the public schools.
(4) Learning technologies mean one or more of
the following information delivery systems or services used to provide distance
learning, interactive telecommunications, computer assisted instruction, and/or
networking among schools: multimedia equipment, including television,
video-cassette recorders/players and micro-computer devices;
compact-disk-read-only- memory (CD-ROM) and videodisc devices;
telecommunications equipment and services; computer network equipment,
including file servers; services to access the Internet; and education related
materials, services and computer software used with such information delivery
systems or services.
(c)
Applications.
(1) Each school district
applying for a grant under this section shall submit an application adhering to
the requirements of a Request for Proposals (RFP) provided by the
department.
(2) The application
shall set forth but not be limited to the following requirements of the Request
for Proposals:
(i) a description of the
applicant's background;
(ii) a
description of the purpose and objectives of the proposed program;
(iii) a description of how the proposed
program was collaboratively planned, including the involvement of nonpublic
schools in that process;
(iv) a
project workplan;
(v) a description
of how the proposed program will provide teachers with staff development on the
integration of technology within curriculum and instruction;
(vi) a description of the background and
experiences of the project staff;
(vii) a budget and budget narrative;
and
(viii) a Statement of
Assurances Form, Required Commitments Forms, Project Data Form, Project
Workplan Form, and Proposal Checklist Form.
(3) If any required forms, the budget, or
other required contents of the application are missing or incomplete, the
application will not be accepted for review.
(4) Applications received at the State
Education Department after the deadline of 5 p.m., November 14, 1994, will not
be reviewed.
(5) Applications
selected to receive a grant shall include an overview of background and major
educational programs of the district or BOCES submitting the application which
are relevant to the proposed project; a clearly stated purpose and objectives
which indicate how technology supports school restructuring; how the project
was collaboratively planned with nonpublic schools and other institutions;
clearly stated activities, timelines, and staff responsible for the activities;
a description of the plan to provide comprehensive technology staff
development; and a description of the background and experiences of the project
staff.
(6) Preference shall be
given to applicants whose proposals reflect:
(i) using technology in the classroom, not
the use of computer labs;
(ii)
using technology, including networking and multimedia, for restructuring the
teaching/learning environment and implementing the new curriculum frameworks,
including new forms of assessment;
(iii) building the technological capacity of
Schools Under Registration Review (SURR);
(iv) encouraging the networking and expansion
of the use of technology in compact partnership schools;
(v) collaborating with other BOCES, public
school districts, nonpublic schools, postsecondary institutions, and other
organizations; and
(vi) using
additional funding resources in support of the proposed project
activities.
(d) Supervision and reporting requirements.
(1) All projects for which funds are
allocated pursuant to this section shall be subject to the general supervision
of the commissioner.
(2) Financial
records shall be maintained and be available for review and a final expenditure
report shall be submitted to the department.
(3) Each school district receiving funds
under this section shall be required to demonstrate the results of their
projects in regional/statewide conference(s) based upon a schedule to be
determined in consultation with the department.
(4) Each school district receiving funds
under this section will be required to submit such additional reports as may be
required by the commissioner.
(e) Each school district receiving funds
under this section shall assure that learning technology programs are made
available to nonpublic school students on an equitable basis, after meaningful
and substantial involvement in the development of the proposal by nonpublic
school officials, subject to the requirements of this subdivision.
(1) A school district shall use funds
available for learning technology grants to provide learning technologies that
supplement, and in no case supplant, the level of services that would, in the
absence of learning technologies programs, be available to participating
children in nonpublic schools.
(2)
A school district shall use funds available for learning technology grants to
meet the individual needs of participating children in a nonpublic school, but
not for the needs of the nonpublic school.
(3) The school district must keep title and
exercise continuing administrative control of all equipment and supplies that
the school district acquires with funds available for learning technology
grants for services benefiting nonpublic school students.
(4) The school district may place equipment
and supplies in a nonpublic school for the period of time needed for the
program.
(5) The school district
shall ensure that the equipment or supplies placed in a nonpublic school:
(i) are used only for learning technology
programs;
(ii) can be removed from
the nonpublic school without remodeling the nonpublic school facility;
and
(iii) in the case of sectarian
nonpublic schools, are disabled to prevent diversion for sectarian purposes and
are for individual use by students and teachers and not for direct general
classroom instruction by sectarian school teachers.
(6) The school district shall remove
equipment or supplies from a nonpublic school, if:
(i) the equipment or supplies are no longer
needed for learning technology programs; or
(ii) removal is necessary to avoid
unauthorized use of the equipment or supplies for other than learning
technology programs.
(7)
No funds available for learning technology grants shall be used for repairs,
minor remodeling or construction of nonpublic school facilities.