User:Dbasye/K12 Blueprint

The K12 Blueprint—found at www.K12blueprint.com and sponsored by the Intel Corporation—is a free education technology model and corresponding website for school administrators, teachers and educators to better plan and implement technology initiatives in school districts. The site includes practical guidelines, funding advice, curriculum considerations and real-world success stories for school administrators, teachers and education leaders, as well as toolkits that address relevant education technology topics such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiatives, Common Core State Standards, moving from print textbooks to digital content, revamping curriculum to improve STEM learning, preparing for online assessments, and how to create Professional Learning Communities.

Overview
The K12 Blueprint model is based on effective leadership principles and policies, as well as the funding, professional development, infrastructure, curriculum and assessment factors paramount to achieving impactful results. The intended audience is—in addition to teachers and administrators— educational technology specialists, managers, directors, CIO's, and others that plan and implement technology projects.

Origins
The K–12 (pronounced "k twelve", "k through twelve", or "k to twelve") Blueprint was created in 2000 as response to what Intel perceived as resistance to one-to-one learning initiatives—one computer for one student—in American schools. One-to-one learning (or E-learning or blended learning) can often seem unaffordable for many technology-strapped school districts.

Intel hoped to demystify digital learning for educators by getting past the onus of “one-to-one” and, instead, outlining how schools could practically and affordably adopt digital curriculum and technology vehicles to deepen and accelerate learning for 21st century students.

In hopes of preparing all students—regardless of socioeconomic status—for the modern workforce through digital inclusion, Intel hosted a small conference in 2000, bringing together a group of roughly 30 leaders in the education eco system for a series of collaborative, face-to-face meetings. The participants worked together to create the founding document and principles behind the K12 Blueprint. The K12 Blueprint model was based on these conversations and brainstorming sessions—all ideas recorded and all minutes transcribed—with Intel going back to the group to get additional snippets or clarification points.

Model
The discussion focused on the common areas necessary for successful implementation of digital curriculum. Seven areas— Leadership, Policy, Curriculum and Assessment, Funding, Infrastructure, Professional Development, and Results—came up consistently during the discussions, with these issues forming the structure of the K12 Blueprint Model :

1. Leadership

The success of any effective technology implementation depends on inspirational and supportive leadership at every level: from principals and superintendents to informal teacher leaders and parents. Leadership can be demonstrated through involving staff in decisions, setting clear expectations for technology use, encouraging and participating in professional development events, and providing resources and support.

2. Policy

Whether responding to government-mandated testing and accountability requirements, participating in state-level initiatives, or working with local community to build acceptable use policies that encourage learning, a systematic approach to policy formulation is vital to the success of any education-technology initiative.

3. Curriculum and Assessment

Digital resources allow students and teachers to create timely content that is relevant and meaningful; expanding an educator’s ability to meet diverse student needs while offering avenues for differentiation. If technology is to be truly an effective aspect of education, it must be thoughtfully woven into the entire fabric of the school and learning. Teacher involvement, clear program goals, and assessment measures, and a sharp vision for how curriculum, content, and instruction need to evolve in order to prepare students for the challenges of the future are all essential.

4. Funding

Funding to implement visionary programs is foremost on the list of concerns for many education leaders today. When planning for new technology or expanding an existing initiative, two aspects of budgeting must be considered: the initial costs and ongoing funding to support the program over time.

5. Infrastructure

The success of a technology-based program not only requires wise decisions about the hardware and software to be employed, but the reliability and usability of the IT infrastructure as well.

Districts and schools must consider a number of infrastructure issues—ranging from the choice of mobile computing devices to wireless networking and security— to support quality teaching and learning, as well as streamlined administration and management.

6. Professional Development

Professional development for educators is one of the most frequently overlooked elements of an effective technology initiative. Phenomenal outcomes can occur when in-the-trenches educators are armed with the skills they need. But simply handing out technology and hoping for the best is an ineffective plan. Professional training—ranging from just-in-time training to on-the-job mentoring—is crucial in ensuring the success of any education technology initiative.

7. Results

Ongoing evaluation set against program goals —stopping at various points to assess the overall impact of the initiative and determine necessary changes—is not only vital to the success of individual programs, it helps other education leaders to learn from one another’s success and build new programs based on real data. By tying data to financial and budget information, administrators can also allocate dollars more effectively and gain a better understanding of the return on their investments.

Another of the main tenants gleaned from the initial K12 Blueprint brainstorming sessions in 2000 was that educators planning education technology initiatives need to get buy-in from stakeholders.

Implementation
According to Dr. Manuel L. Isquierdo, Ed.D.— superintendent of Tucson, Arizona’s Sunnyside Unified School District —utilized the K12 Blueprint as one of the district’s first foundational references and resources to plan and implement the district’s Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage program in 2007: a multi-faceted program that awarded laptops to incoming students who maintained the following Four A’s:

1. Attendance (a 95% or better attendance rate - no more than four absences, no unexcused absences and attendance on the first day of school)

2. Achievement (2.5 or higher grade point average)

3. extracurricular Activity (participation in at least one extracurricular activity)

4. Attitude (no out-of-school suspensions).

The program saw significant improvements in the number of graduates, attendance and student achievement as early as May 2008. Dr. Isquierdo views the K12 Blueprint as the cornerstone of his district’s ed-tech learning. His technology steering committee, technology execution team, director of one-to-one and curriculum director downloaded, shared and utilized the materials posted on the K12 Blueprint website, using the model to frame their implementation and policy development.

In 2009 the district's Digital Advantage program was expanded to include a comprehensive Dropout Recovery initiative where students are encouraged to return to school. In fall 2012, the district’s one-to-one initiative was expanded beyond fifth grade to include grades 4 through 9 and the district was honored as a Project RED Signature District and invited to become a member of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools.

Evolution
The K12 Blueprint website has grown since its initial inception, with a dedicated team responsible for updating the site with current education-technology news and downloadable tools. The K12 Blueprint expanded into Canada with a Canadian site in 2012. The K12 Blueprint also has an active Twitter feed, with news outlets such as the New York Times and USA Today picking up some of the tweets.