Iowa is uniquely blessed by the existence of a statewide, high-speed, fiber-optics network which schools can use for teleconferencing, Internet access, and long distance telephone service. Any district technology plan should include a goal and actions for use of this Iowa Communication Network (ICN), or at least the consideration of its use.

The portion of your technology plan that deals with the "consideration" of the ICN must also be included in your district's Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP).

In the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Requirements: Fall 2001 Technical Assistance Guide  put out by the Iowa Department of Education, one of the Checklist items describes what is needed in the technology plan, and likewise in the district's CSIP:

Checklist Item #45

45. Evidence of consideration of interconnectivity with the Iowa Communication Network (ICN).
Iowa Code Chapter 295.3

Meets Evidence of Requirement Criteria:
The expectations have been met for requirement #45 if the CSIP content contains evidence of the school district’s consideration of interconnectivity with the Iowa Communication Network (ICN). What this evidence looks like is a local decision.

Examples:

  • Teachers in the XYZ School District have investigated the use of the ICN to improve reading scores.

  • The ICN is used by middle school students in the XYZ School District to participate in the Africa Quest project as part of their global awareness unit in social studies.

  • The ICN is used by the entire XYZ School District to provide Internet access to all classrooms.

  • All grade levels in the XYZ School District that participated in the curriculum studies conducted this year used the ICN.

  • The ICN was used in the XYZ School District to have grade-a-like meetings with other staff in other districts.

Taken from the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Requirements: Fall 2001 Technical Assistance Guide  - Iowa Department of Education.

Sample Goals

  • Recognizing the value of the Iowa Communication Network to K-12 schools across the state, the XXXXXXXXXX School District will study possible applications for this fiber optics network.

  • XXXXXXXX Private Elemetary School uses the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) as an Internet service provider through XXXXXXXX Area Education Agency. XXXXXXXX Private Elemetary School also is able to use the ICN video classroom at XXXXXXX Public High School. When educational sessions applicable to a preschool through 6th grade audience are broadcast on the ICN, XXXXXXXX Private Elemetary School students and staff may be transported to that video classroom to participate in the session.

  • XXXXXXX School District will use Internet access through the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) to connect students to the outside world.

  • XXXXXXX School District will use its ICN video classroom to support the educational purposes and programs of the district as well as those of the communities we serve.

Sample Actions

  • XXXXXX School District will participate in two classes, German 1 and German 2, providing our students with an educational opportunity they normally would not have to study this foreign language.

  • XXXXXXX Elementary School will use the High School's ICN video classroom to participate in age-appropriate sessions dealing with children's literature. This participation will result in an increase in reading comprehension results on standardized tests and in alternative assessments.

  • XXXXXXX School District will use the ICN for Internet access for our High School and, through lines leased from other service providers, for our Middle School and Elementary School.

  • XXXXXXX School District will use the ICN for long distance telephone service for all of our five school buildings.