COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 1

January 14, 2005

INTERPRETIVE

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Standards of Quality (SOQ) Technology Staffing Standards for the 2004-2006 Biennium

Regulatory Superintendents Memorandum 5, issued on June 18, 2004, and Information Superintendents Memorandum 204, issued on October 8, 2004, provided information to school divisions regarding legislation passed by the 2004 General Assembly to amend the Standards of Quality (SOQ). The legislation enacted by the General Assembly implemented policy changes recommended by the Board of Education. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide further clarification of the revised staffing requirements related to technology in order to assist school divisions with the preparation of their 2005-2006 budgets.

The technology staffing standards do not become effective until July 1, 2005, although funding is provided effective July 1, 2004. Language in Item 146 of the Appropriation Act states:

Notwithstanding Chapters 939 and 955, of the Acts of Assembly of 2004, no school division shall be required to maintain instructional positions meeting the increased standards set forth in this paragraph until July 1, 2005.

Standard Two of the SOQ ( 22.1-253.13:2 of the Code of Virginia) states the following:

Local school boards shall employ two positions per 1,000 students in grades kindergarten through 12, one to provide technology support and one to serve as an instructional technology resource teacher.

Language in Item 146 of the 2004 Appropriation Act also states:

Appropriations in this item includethe state's share of the following revisions to the Standards of Qualityone support technology position per 1,000 students the first year; one support technology position and one instructional technology position per 1,000 students the second year

As with the other staffing standards contained in Standard Two of the SOQ, the positions for both support technology and instructional technology are intended to be full-time equivalent positions. Revisions to the SOQ approved by the Board of Education in November of 2004 clarify this standard by adding the term full-time equivalent. (The proposed revisions to the SOQ must be approved by the 2005 General Assembly in order to become effective on July 1, 2005.)

Questions have been raised regarding the use of contract personnel to meet the requirement of technology positions. Contract personnel may be used so long as the contract provides for the equivalent level of services. This would apply both to public and private contact providers. Because the use of contract personnel will vary according to the needs of the individual school divisions, school divisions contracting for these services may wish to consult their respective school board attorneys if there is any question that the proposed use of contract personnel could be problematic.

Funding for this new standard in the 2004-2006 biennium is included in the Basic Aid item in the entitlement sheets provided by the Department of Education Budget Office.

Please note that the funding for the revised standards outlined in this memorandum are included in the calculation of required local expenditures for meeting the local share of the cost of the SOQ.

Instructional Technology Resource Teachers: The intent of providing funding for instructional technology resource teachers in the SOQ is to assist teachers with the integration of technology in the classroom, to train teachers to use technology in an effective manner, and to assist with curriculum development as it relates to educational technology. These positions may be responsible for modeling instructional strategies with students, providing training and professional development, developing the curriculum, or performing similar kinds of duties and responsibilities as the school division may deem appropriate. Instructional technology resource teachers are intended to serve as resources to classroom teachers, but are not intended to serve as classroom teachers.

The instructional technology resource teacher is specified as a teacher, and therefore must be a licensed teacher, as stated in Regulatory Superintendents Memorandum 5. 

Technology Support: The technology support position provides centralized, school-based, and/or regional support for information networks. School divisions need to ensure that the duties of this position provide any of the following direct services, beginning on July 1, 2005:

• Providing centralized, school-based, and/or regional support for information networks (including a school division help desk or help line).
• Providing network selection, configuration, installation, operation, repair, maintenance, software installation, troubleshooting, and security management.
• Creating and upgrading servers, computers, and networks.
• Maintaining multi-media devices, which include but are not limited to computers, telephony, monitors, and projectors.

The duties of the technology support position would not include data entry, computer programming, data collection and analysis, Web master services, or administration and management.

If you need additional information regarding the requirements of the Standards of Quality, please contact Anne Wescott (mailto:anne.wescott@doe.virginia.gov) assistant superintendent for policy and communications at (804) 225-2403 or Daniel S. Timberlake, assistant superintendent for finance, at (804) 225-2025.

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