National Education Technology Plan - Baker School District

Garten, who directs the information systems division, and project
leader Tracy Jones involved teachers and students in each stage
of development. TIM is helping all teachers apply differentiated
instruction to improve learning for all of their students. 43
High Tech High (HTH) in San Diego used a Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation grant and funding from the San Diego
technology business community to start a charter school from
scratch. Since its launch in September 2000, the school has been
an innovation leader in using technology and grounding learning
in the “real world.” Student internships with area businesses are
built into the schedule and students use technology to conduct
biotechnology lab experiments, build robots and produce
sophisticated school projects. Its 400 students are from diverse
ethnic and economic backgrounds and last year 100 percent of
HTH seniors were accepted into college. Under Principal and
CEO Larry Rosenstock’s leadership, technology and intellectual
rigor are central to the educational experience at HTH – a learning
experience in an environment which is open to the real world and
fosters connections to the community.
The school’s innovations include performance-based assessment,
daily shared planning time for staff, state-of-the-art technical
facilities for project-based learning, internships for all students,
and close links to the high-tech workplace.
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Florida
The Florida Virtual School, whose motto is “anytime, any place,
any path, any pace,” grew out of a $200,000 state-level “Break
the Mold” grant. The threefold aim was to relieve the strain of
overcrowded schools in the fast-growing Florida districts; to meet
the demands for high-needs courses; and to make advanced courses
available to students throughout the state’s 32 rural districts.