INST 5131 Unit 5 Policies and Regulations

1. Policies & Regulations:
Of Technology
In a Pre-Kindergarten School

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

3. 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 • Teacher Credentialing
• Safety • Student Density per Instructor
• Health • Reporting
• Record Keeping • Physical Facilities

4. Pre-K Technology
Standards
• 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

5. 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

6. Technological Protocol
(Continued)
• These protocols ensure:
 a high level of professional ethics
 assure design, utilization, and
implementation of new software
and resource applications
All meeting state policies and
regulations within a Pre-K
environment

7. Background Info About
Forever Growing Pre-K School
• Forever Growing
Founded in 1990 in Alvin, Texas by Denise West
Originally operated as an in-home daycare and
after school program
Curriculum 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.

8. Specific Area of Interest
• School Code of Conduct
• Stewardship Protocols for technology

9. AnAlysis of the school’s
History & Growth
• Embraced an optimistic vision • 1990 - Began with 5 students and
and a determined outlook. grew to 12 students in just a
• Experienced many challenges and couple of months.
numerous triumphs. • 1991 - School overcrowding
• Learned from the obstacles and caused children to be turned
victories away.
• Believe that the school can • 1994 - After-school program
overcome any adversity in order abandoned order to better assist
to achieve success 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.

10. 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

11. Responses & Results of the
school’s current strAtegy
• Largest challenge is obtaining the • In spite of everything, there is not
financial capital which sufficient capital to acquire additional
– Maintains the operations educational resources (technology
– Supports the acquisition and implementation, training)
implementation of resources • Additional resources are needed
– Improves the educational quality of its – to support the school’s over-all efforts
programs
– to help students especially from lower
• Addressing these challenges socio-economic family environments
– Implements a mixture of initiatives to • These additional resources will be
both raise funds and avoid costs.
leveraged to overcome the
– Obtains full and partial scholarships knowledge gap which many students
from local businesses to help off-set
tuition costs possess when they first enroll in
– Receives assistance with fund raising Forever Growing.
activities and donation matching from
the community
– Acquires one time financial gifts
– Teachers have voluntarily given up their
pay raises

12. 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.

13. Alternatives
Higher 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

14. Recommendations for
Future 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

15. How Alternatives &
Recommendations Relate
to AECT Standards
AECT 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

16. 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.