Technology Support Specialists Pilot Project

Purpose

A pilot project within the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) to derive information about the need, value, and activities of personnel assigned to schools to support and maintain local area networks, servers, computer workstations, or other computer-related systems or technologies.

The WVDE will select county schools, contiguous campuses of schools, or collections of schools located within ten road miles of a base school to participate in the project, based upon additional specific criteria.  Counties that participated in the TSS Pilot Project Round One will not be eligible for the competitive portion of the Round Two Project.   

School / County / Technology Systems Specialist Responsibilities

Each county and school participating in the Technology Systems Specialist (TSS) Pilot Project agrees to the following terms and responsibilities:

• County will complete application, sign, and return to WVDE by May 29, 2012.
• Counties receiving a grant award will receive a program allowance of up to $60,000 to employ one Technology Systems Specialist from July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2013.  County must employ TSS’s by July 1, 2012 to participate in TSS Pilot Project Grant Round Two.
• The grant funds will be used for salaries, fringes and travel expenses only.  Any additional expenses will be the responsibility of the county.
• The Technology Systems Specialists hired under the pilot program must be currently TSS Certified or eligible for a temporary authorization for Technology System Specialist as defined in State Board Policy 5202.  The temporary authorization shall expire on June 30, 2013
• Each TSS must renew the authorization for TSS annually, as per the requirements defined in State Board Policy 5202.
• Each TSS hired under the pilot program will have knowledge of technology-supported curriculum and software.
• Funds can only be used for Technology Systems Specialist positions created after July 1, 2010.
• The county, school, and TSS hired under this pilot program shall report performance and utilization data to the WVDE each month. 
• Each funded position will be assigned exclusively to the schools identified in this application. 
• The TSS time will be split among the schools in the following manner.  The county shall identify the “base school” in the application below.  If the TSS will provide services to two schools, the TSS must work in the base school at least 60% of the time.  If the TSS will provide services to three schools, the TSS must work in the base school at least 40% of the time.  If the TSS will provide service to four schools, the TSS must work in the base school at least 30% of the time.
• The county shall identify the student population for each school.  The total population for all schools should not exceed 1000 students.  If total population exceeds 1000 students, the county must provide detailed rationale as to how the TSS will be effective for all schools identified.