District Administration - July/August 2012 - (Page 73)

cio Technology from The cIo perspecTIve District The Emergence of District Social Media Managers Palm Beach County (Fla.) School District is the latest district to take its social media accounts to the next level. The district is launching its own Facebook and Twitter accounts, which will represent the district as a whole as opposed to individual teachers or administrators. The district’s public affairs department will run the operation, coinciding with a growing trend nationwide to emphasize social media. And while hiring dedicated social media managers is commonplace in the Stephanie Abrams, LAUSD’s new social private sector, it’s media director rarely seen in school districts. But earlier this year, Los Angeles Unified School District became the first school district to hire a social media manager. “Very often [Twitter and Facebook] accounts in school districts aren’t very active and don’t respond to feedback from parents, and they have such a poor impact is due to the lack of a dedicated social media person,” says Stephanie Abrams, LAUSD’s new social media director. Abrams, a former news anchor who is earning slightly under $90,000 in her new role, contributes to a weekly broadcast that airs on the district’s YouTube channel and establishes blogs for district departments. “Having those accounts means nothing without feeding them with fresh and important information and engaging with the community by responding to comments, questions, and tweets in a timely manner,” she says. And public engagement has shot up. The district launched a social media survey in June and received nearly 5,000 responses—a large response. The district’s Facebook “likes” have gone up by nearly 2,000, and the district’s Twitter account has had 1,000 new followers. July/August 2012 73 assessment CCSS Testing Online Without Constant Connectivity? A new survey of Louisiana schools reveals a critical issue facing most states nationwide: schools are lacking the technology needed to conduct online testing required by the Common Core State Standards. Although the looming requirement that all testing be conducted online has been discussed, the degree to which states are unprepared has not been known. And only five school systems meet the requirements. Under the standards, English language arts and math curricula will be tested online to give standardized and intense feedback to students. This measure, however, requires many districts to significantly update their network infrastructure. “Too few schools are ready for the digital age,” said Superintendent of Louisiana Education John White in a press release on July 12. “If we plan now, and invest our funds wisely, we can change this.” The survey conducted by the state Department of Education, “Louisiana Technology Footprint,” found a shortfall in the number of computers available to students, high-speed Internet connections and facilities in which testing can be conducted. According to the Louisiana DOE, to meet the 2014-2015 testing guidelines, districts will also need to purchase or upgrade computers and other devices already owned by districts that don’t currently meet the minimum hardware specifications. Solving the Online Testing Quandary According to the report, many school sites have problems with Internet connectivity, including insufficient bandwidth or network infrastructure to support online testing. “One way to reduce the issue of insufficient bandwidth is to design the new tests in a method that would not require constant connectivity,” the report says. “Improving the hardware, or its configuration, that routes network data through a school or (district) could solve the issue of insufficient network infrastructure. The Louisiana Department of Education recommends a minimum student to computer ratio of 7:1 for online testing; 5:1 for a minimum classroom learning environment; and a 1:1 for an optimal classroom learning environment. In late July/August, sample test questions for ELA and math were made available to the 48 states signed on for the standards. Although states are still awaiting the final drafts of these assessments and inputting feedback, the sample questions provide some guidance as they create the new curriculum. www.DistrictAdministration.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - July/August 2012

District Administration - July/August 2012
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Research Center
Professional Opinion
Supervisor's Opinion
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Gaming Gains Respect
A Running Start for ELLs
Paul Vallas for Sale
Unsung Heroes
CIO News
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Virtual Schooling
Noteworthy Books
New Products
Product Focus
Problem Solution

District Administration - July/August 2012