The Educational Technology Grant is a competitive grant program, through which selected schools make investments in instructional technology resources, and the District matches their investments by providing them with devices. The purposes of this grant are to: 1) encourage innovative uses of instructional technology; 2) promote collaboration between schools around the use of instructional technology; and 3) invest in schools that have not yet received devices from the District.

Investments and Devices that Qualify

Schools must make investments in instructional technology in order to receive matching devices from the District. These investments can be anything that compliments the use of the matching devices and promotes student learning. A few potential examples include supplemental instructional content, a learning management system, instructional technology support staff, and/or additional devices, although there are many other creative possibilities.

Donations from community partners can qualify as school investments, if schools secure those investments as part of this matching grant program. For example, if a school fosters a partnership with a business, and the business commits to donating devices to the school, the school can list those donations as its investment, and request matching amounts of devices from the District.

The District will only match future investments. In other words, schools will not receive matching devices from the District for investments they have already made or for donations they have already received. Proposed investments can be part of a school’s 2015-16 expenditures if the budget allows; if funds are not available this year, expenditures can be planned as part of schools’ 2016-17 budget.

Application Procedure

Schools must submit an application in order to be considered for a matching grant. On the application, schools describe their innovative plans for expanding instructional technology, including the investments they will make and the resources they request from the District. They also detail their full funding strategy. They describe how their plan will have a measurable impact on student learning. And, if applicable, they explain how they are partnering with other schools; such partnerships are not required in order to submit an application, but they are highly encouraged. (See detailed instructions on how to answer each question on the application).

Criteria for Selection

Applicants will be scored on a 27-point rubric. They will be evaluated on their plan and funding model, their plan’s likely measurable impact on student learning, and their partnership with other schools. Schools are not required to form partnerships in order to submit an application, but doing so is highly encouraged (see below for further details about this).

Partnerships with Other Schools

Schools are encouraged to apply in partnership with other schools for this grant. Partnership should create a unified vision for instructional technology between the schools, in order to magnify student learning beyond what could achieved if the schools applied separately. As just one example, a few schools might apply to purchase the same learning management system and to receive the same types of devices from the District, and staff at those schools could meet regularly to discuss best practices around using that system with those devices to maximize learning. There are many creative possibilities.

Schools will not be rewarded for applying as partners if the partnership itself does not magnify student learning. For example, if two schools claim to be applying as partners, but the only connection between them is that they happen to be requesting the same types of devices from the District, they will not receive the benefits of applying as partners.

There are two benefits to applying as partners. First, as shown on the rubric, schools that apply in partnership receive higher scores. In order to receive a score of “Exemplary” for their collaboration, schools must form a strategic partnership that helps retain students in the District and/or benefits schools with fewer instructional technology resources. (Examples of schools with fewer technology resources include some primary centers and continuation schools). In other words, higher scores will be awarded to collaborating schools if they are part of the same feeder pattern and/or if some of the schools lack technological resources—as long as the partnership creates a unified vision for instructional technology between the schools to magnify student learning.

If schools apply in partnership, each school must still submit an application.

Matching Cap

To prevent funds from depleting too quickly, a matching cap will be set in the amount of $200 for every student enrolled in the school(s) submitting the proposals, based on Norm Day counts. For example, if a school with 1,000 students submits a proposal that is accepted, the District will match every dollar they invest, up to $200,000.

Schools that submit collaborative proposals will have the same cap, but will benefit from the higher ratio. For example, if two schools with a combined enrollment of 1,000 students submit a joint proposal that is accepted, there will still be a cap of $200,000. However, those schools will only need to invest $100,000 to receive $200,000 in equipment from the District. If they invest more than $100,000, the District will still provide $200,000 in equipment.