Building the Technology Plan In the Planning Stage, try to answer the question, "How would I like to see technology used in my school district?" The answer should outline your vision for integrating technology into the educational process. Begin with curricular goals. What technology is available to help teachers better meet the demands of required content? Consider new work skills. The workforce for the current information age is required to gather, analyze, synthesize, and create data using information technology. What tools are necessary to support your students as they develop these skills? Incorporate the community. How do school goals align with the goals of the larger community? How do business and community members envision the role of the school and its graduates in their own plans? The end result of this stage will be a document that guides you through the succeeding stages. Gather stakeholders. Stakeholders at the school level include teachers, administrators, representatives of the professional staff, and students. Community and business leaders should also be included, for the success of the school system affects the economic viability of the community. Key stakeholders can serve as champions of your plan to important persons and groups outside of the committee. Consider including an influential school board member. Create a mission statement. At early meetings, create a mission statement that incorporates data and sets goals toward the unified vision of the committee. Complete a needs assessment. The plan incorporates and builds upon the current technology infrastructure as well as data concerning teacher and student performance. Develop a time line. A realistic time line should outline goals and objectives for the remainder of the planning cycle. The goals should designate personnel, desired actions, and projected outcomes all mapped to dates for completion. Assess budget and resource needs. The technology plan document must address the costs of purchasing equipment and software as well as labor costs, such as professional development and system support. While a major technology effort may develop out of a one-time bond issue or major grant, the technology plan should address sustainability from the beginning. Did You Know? Mission statements should help guide the work of the school community to fulfill its vision. This is true whether your mission statement concerns itself solely with technology or is more global. Education World provides some tips for writing a mission statement with long-lasting implications in the article "Mission Statements With Vision: Where Is Your School Going?"