Cameron Independent School District

Expect the Best

 Phillip Hall, Assistant Superintendent                                            Telephone: (254) 697-3512  Curriculum and Technology                                                           Fax: (254) 697-2448                      P.O. Box 712                                                                               e-mail: Phillip.Hall@cameronisd.net Cameron, Texas76520                                                                  www.cameronisd.net 

July 23, 2003

To:       Cameron ISD Board of Trustees

From:    Phillip Hall, Assistant Superintendent

Re:       Technology Plan

In the early morning hours of this morning some things came to me so I would like to give you, the Board, two things to consider.

It was implied that I may have lost credibility and support from the district staff and the community. Over these last two days I have come to understand this assumption is far from the truth. The “negative few” that are out there and were present at the last meeting were the same “negative few” that have been there all year long. There was not a mass number that has suddenly joined in. As a matter of fact from all the cards, letters, phone calls, e-mails, and personal contacts I have received offering me and my family support and encouragement, I would say the “positive supporters” out there are a lot more than the “negatives”. That support has helped me understand that I am not that evil person that is being painted by that negative few and has helped me shake off that funk and keep my head up.

Also, why does the District and the Board prepare a budget? They do so to show the community and the state before they spend their money that there is a plan with thought in place. The numbers placed in there are estimates, and the Board is not “fired” if those numbers are not accurate. The district and the Board are just proving there is a process and a plan. As I heard and saw the media reports over the last few days, I realized that people are viewing the document I presented to the Board as an application and not a plan. The whole purpose in the process of submitting a Technology Plan to the Region Service Centers and then to TEA for approval is to show the Federal Government that before we spend their money (e-rate) we have a plan and process in place. Our Technology Plan is just that - a “plan” - and those reviewing our plan do not care what numbers are in the plan; they only care that a process with thought is in place. The technology plan, as I wrote it, was to show that we have processes in place to assess how and why we spend our money. Those estimated, “fudged” numbers in that plan do not matter to anybody. They were there to show we have that process in place. I have assured everyone from the start that the needs assessment will be done this fall and it will. In the past TEA did not say this, but now…

Both the Texas Education Agency and Region VI Education Service Center reviewed the technology plan submitted by Cameron ISD to ensure that it meets criteria for federal programs including E-Rate. .Each district is free to structure their plan to meet their own needs. In addition, Cameron ISD may submit an amendment to its technology plan at any time. There is no technology planning requirement to survey either students, staff or parents to obtain demographic/statistical data for the plan.”

This statement clearly shows that they do not care about the accuracy of the numbers, much like a budget, they are concerned and looking for the process. Though the numbers I included in the needs assessment of our plan were estimates or “fudged”, I was trying to clearly show that we had a process in place.

I hope that this sheds some new light on the situation and that the thought can be eliminated that I should be fired over numbers that were not important because those reviewing our technology plan were just looking for a “plan” and a “process”. I hope and pray that you give these thoughts serious consideration.

Sincerely,

Phillip Hall, Assistant Superintendent