Involving the School Community
	Engaging and Inspiring Learning Powered by Technology Technology should be leveraged to provide access to more learning resources than are available in classrooms and connections to a wider set of “educators,” including teachers, parents, experts, and mentors outside the classroom. - The National Educational Technology Plan

In order to ensure success with a school district technology plan, and a budget which fully supports the plan, community support and involvement is essential. The needs of all students -- both traditional and nontraditional -- must be addressed. Your plan should include such groups as adult literacy providers, adult education program coordinators, and local public library personnel. You should establish their needs and connect them to the plan as much as possible, as well as consider possible opportunities for collaborative work. Consider whether your local community is invited and welcomed into your schools, as well as whether your district facilities are used to their fullest extent.

Considerations for Community Involvement

Your technology plan should consider goals and actions that involve the community in specific and clear ways. You can use the specific county and town/city census data and other information in your district description to figure out what resources and needs are available in your community and try to include them in your goals and actions. Community involvement is a great way to gain support for the schools and your school budgets, and should be integral parts of any local education improvement or strategic plans that your district may have. Plans to promote community involvement projects which include funding sources like grants and private funds will allow you to connect with your community and help with funding. Strong collaboration with adult literacy providers in your area along with participation in adult literacy programs relative to technology can gain support for technology budgets in your community. Another community component you may want to include are additional collaborative projects that involve other organizations in the community. The use of social media to spread information and as a collaborative tool is increasingly becoming more prominent. While email notification systems can help gather feedback and disperse information, social media will engender more support and interest. Consider updating social media policies and using social media outlets for parents and community members to share information. It will enable your school district to engage with the community and share resources in new and interesting ways that will heighten public support. Use these outlets to send quick messages for emergency weather closings and other events.

Resources

Why Family and Community Involvement is Important (NH Department of Education)

Getting Involved! The Parent, School, and Community Involvement Guide (Mississippi Department of Education)

Family-School-Community Partnerships 2.0 Collaborative Strategies to Advance Student Learning (National Education Association)

School and Community Collaboration to Promote a Safe Learning Environment (Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education)

Community Involvement (Student Support Cervices Center)

Enhancing Service through Effective School/Community Collaboration (ACT for Youth Upstate Center for Excellence)

School Community Collaboration (Southeast Education Network)

Family and Community Engagement (Learning First Alliance)

Involvement or Engagement? (Educational Leadership)

Five Steps to Better School/Community Collaboration (Edutopia)

The Importance of Community Involvement in Schools (Edutopia)

Why collaboration is vital to creating effective schools (Washington Post)

Resources Available from US DoE US DOE Office of Educational Technology National Educational Technology Plan Building Technology Infrastructure for Learning E-Rate Program - Federal Communications Commission E-Rate for Schools and Libraries - USAC Ed Tech Developer's Guide Resources from SETDA State Educational Directors Association Resources Guide to Technology Requirements Guide to Implementing Digital Learning State Education Policy Center Roadmap for 21st Century Learning Environments Additional Resources APP-a-pedia The encyclopedia of educational mobile apps, smart tools, and other gadgets. iNACOL The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) catalyzes the transformation of K-12 education policy and practice to advance powerful, personalized, learner-centered experiences. ISTE The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) serves educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world.   Top

Resources Available on NHEON NH Esri GIS State Consortium SketchUp Pro State Licensing Speak Up Survey Professional Development Office of Educational Technology Internet Safety and Digital Citienship National Collaborative for Digital Equity Digital Learning Day NH Digital Resources Consortium ET News Online Learning in NH ISTE Standards OPEN NH Courses to Improve Technology Integration Future Ready Schools New Hampshire #GoOpen New Hampshire New Hampshire School Connectivity Initiative     Top

Resources Available from NH DoE Minimum Standards for School Approval NH College and Career Ready Standards NH DOE Office of Educational Technology ICT Literacy Toolkit NH E-Rate Program Information NH Vision 2.0 The New Hampshire Network   Top

Last updated July 31, 2017