Carteret County Public Schools
HOMEPAGE

Carteret County is a rural, fairly isolated County on the coast of North Carolina. The Public School System is composed of 15 schools with a population of 8,500 students.

The Technology Plan for Carteret County School System forms the foundation and the guide for all the roles of technology in the District. Support for the Plan has been widespread and effective, from top-level administration, faculty, staff, students, and community. Without this foundation of planning and this platform of support the level of technology integration now evident in Carteret County Schools would not have occurred.

In review, the District has met or exceeded expectations in most areas and progress continues towards stated goals. Because of this progress the 1998 revision of our Technology Plan focuses more on the seamless integration of technology into the learning environment which is our ultimate goal.

Earlier iterations of the District's Technology Plan emphasized the acquisition of hardware and the use of software as a supplement and enrichment for the traditional classroom setting. The current Plan focuses on the evolution towards integration of technology into a student-centered, project-based learning environment. In the 1998 revision telecommunication technologies, web publishing and wide area networking are more in evidence.

Accomplishments over the last three years include:

• progressive inroads into integration of technology for instruction and learning
• major progress towards the minimum standard of equipment in all classrooms
• campus networks that meet or exceed State standards in all schools and
• Central Office-- installed and functioning
• all teachers participating in technology staff development with the majority
• having completed Parts I and II as defined in the technology staff development outline
• positive beginning to a new model for technology staff development that assists in moving schools towards a student centered, constructivist learning environment, which meshes with the overarching goals of the School System
• additions to the technology support staff-- eight instructional technology coordinators, six technical support technicians
• implementation of wide area network through State Telecommunication Services increased School System and public support for technology in order to meet the needs of students living in an Information Age
• institution of evaluation strategies that assess progress in meeting the goals and objectives of the Technology Plan.

These things have been funded or made possible through:

• passage of a local 6.2 million dollar bond referendum for technology
• State Technology funding
• Title VI funds
• Technology Literacy Challenge Grant funds
• Universal Service Rate (e-rate) discounts
• other local funds that include additional money for media centers
• a portion of local and State instructional funds
• local school fund raisers
• contributing partners and businesses

It is anticipated that the coming years will see the same or increased progress towards the goals, objectives and strategies of the School System's Technology Plan.