G.+Budget+Description

Link to ET-IL Plan 2009-2012 = = =G. Budget Description=

//The district is to provide a copy of the operating budget for each fiscal year covered under this plan. To the extent possible, identify existing and potential ET-IL funding sources, and annotate the operating budget line items to show how the district will fund the non-discount portion of E-rate requests. The budget should include estimates for expenditures on items such as infrastructure, hardware, software, consulting contracts, telecommunications services, staff, library infrastructure and professional development opportunities for all staff. It is the understanding that most district’s will not have the ability to provide a three year operating budget, therefore CDE will request a copy of the operating budget in subsequent years. Please note that any Title II-D formula or competitive funding is approved and managed through an official budget submission process via Colorado Department of Education Grants Fiscal Management. The budget description listed in this section is not an official request to the Department of Education. Remember to address the following key components://
 * Evidence of adequate budget to acquire and maintain infrastructure and services over the next three years.
 * Identify existing and potential funding sources.
 * Identify the E-rate eligible and non-eligible budget items
 * Provide a funding source for E-rate eligible and non-eligible budget items
 * Identify the funding source for the non-discounted portion of E-rate eligible budget items
 * Provide a list of all anticipated technology purchases including expenditures for existing technology

Guiding Questions:
//1. Provide a budget narrative. Explain where E-rate eligible purchases are located.//

The Thompson School District will support the ET-IL with a detailed budget accounting as depicted in the 21st Century Student Skills matrix and the 21st Century Staff Skills matrix sent as an appendix to this plan.

In order to provide comprehensive professional development support, the Thompson School District has earmarked $206,841 to support technology integration training, technology integration personnel, and online professional development resources. In order to support appropriate access to 21st Century tools and technology, the Thompson School District has earmarked $1,422,440 in funding to support the equipment replacement cycle (ERC), Distance Learning initiative, increased bandwidth, firewall/filter upgrades, FirstClass upgrades (email/intranet), ongoing district website capabilities, ongoing local channel 14 programming, research and development study teams, and a data warehouse. In order to support 21st Century learning and teaching, the Thompson School District has earmarked $582,300 to support student email accounts, access to Colorado online high school programming, PLATO curriculum, Infinite Campus student data management, Acuity/AIMSweb assessment tools, SWIS data analysis toosl for Positive Behavior Support programming, digital video capabilities, web-based database content for student research, and a digital content repository PD360.

//2. Please show clear evidence of the district’s ability to maintain the infrastructure.//

The Thompson School District identifies actual earmarked funds to support the ET-IL plan as well as long-range funding requests for future programming in the ET-IL Budget 2009 spreadsheet attached as an appendix to this plan.

//3. How will you coordinate ET-IL fund expenditures with funds available from other Federal, State, and local sources?//

The Thompson School District Technology Steering Committee will manage the oversight to ensure effective and efficiency coordination of the ET-IL fund expenditures with fund available from other Federal, State and local sources. As discussed in section C. Collaboration and Integration, representative members who manage and coordinate the Federal, State and other source funded programs monthly meet and confer through the auspices of the Technology Steering Committee.

//4. What are your funding sources for budget items?//

The funding sources for the budget items are identified in the appendix matrices detailed in the 21st Century Student Skills and 21st Century Staff Skills documents. The actual funding is derived from the Thompson School District general budget, 2007 Bond and Mill Levy Override line items, Title II and Title IID sources.

//5. Are there any particular funding challenges you may face over the next three years that impact your organization’s ability to implement the ET-IL plan? If so, what are they?//

Due to the uncertain economic times, the funding challenges that we may face over the next three years that may impact our organizations ability to implement the ET-IL plan would be an addition rescission from the state. The combined 2009 and 2010 rescission decreased the overall budget by $1,000,000. This loss affected many programs beyond the ET-IL.

//6. Show clear evidence of the district’s ability to fund the non-discounted portion of E-rate eligible items.//

As described in the 21st Century Student Skills and 21st Century Staff Skills appendix documents, the Thompson School District has diligently earmarked funding from its General Budget, Mill, Bond, and other Federal and State sources to support the programs and strategies outlined in section B. Goals, Objectives, and Strategies section of the ET-IL plan.

//(Suggestion to use an asterick in the matrix to denote E-rate elgibility)//