TLRP Progress Report

The Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 is a report that lays out the progress that has been made on the LRPT statewide based on data collected from local and statewide STaR charts. What strikes me the most about this progress report is that all of the data is self-reported. These is no guarantee that these are reliable because they are not base on any formal assessment. While I don’t think that there is any doubt that the state is making progress, I do think that the level of that progress is questionable. Based on the progress report the percentage of districts reporting that they are in the Advanced Tech category on the STaR chart has increased from 2008 to 2010. This would mean that in nearly 40% of districts across Texas technology is absolutely integrated into instruction, students are actively working with their peers and with experts to evaluate and analyze information gathered from digital resources. I may be pessimistic, but this just seems unlikely to me. I wonder how many people who complete the STaR reports have a full understanding of what full integration looks like for teachers and students.