§ 22.1-212.2:3. Family Involvement in Technology (FIT) program
A. In order to (i) promote parental and family involvement in children's education, (ii) found a partnership between families and schools, (iii) increase students' time on task, (iv) integrate educational technology into the public school curriculum to meet the Standards of Learning objectives, and (v) increase access to educational technology, particularly in schools with large populations of disadvantaged children, there is hereby established, with such funds as may be appropriated for this purpose, a Superintendents' Districts grants program, to be known as the Family Involvement in Technology (FIT) program.
B. The Board of Education shall establish the Family Involvement in Technology program in each of the eight Superintendents' Districts. Therefore, eight grants, one grant to each District, shall be awarded, upon appropriation of funds, to provide at least 100 computers per District on the condition that each project focus, to the extent feasible, on increasing educational technology in schools having at least a 75 percent population of disadvantaged children. Each District shall be responsible for determining how the computers are distributed and the components of the FIT program in the region, so long as such components are consistent with the provisions of this section.
The FIT program shall include (i) measurable goals and objectives; (ii) an assessment of the needs of the students to be included in the project; (iii) assurances that the project will increase access to educational technology in schools with large populations of disadvantaged children; (iv) training of the relevant teachers, students, and families in computer technology, including, but not limited to, the appropriate supervision of children while engaged in using computers and researching on the Internet; (v) the establishment, if feasible, of an interactive network between the school administration, the relevant teachers, and the relevant students' homes; (vi) better integration of educational technology into the school curriculum; (vii) activities to promote awareness of the project, increase access to educational technology in schools having large populations of disadvantaged children, and continually assess the school-community needs; (viii) collaboration with available public and private resources, including any educational technology corporation; and (ix) improved communications between parents, teachers, and administrators which are designed to improve students' academic achievement.
C. The Board shall evaluate and determine, in cooperation with the Superintendents' Districts and based upon objective criteria, the success of the program. In accordance with this analysis, the Board shall make, within one year of implementation of this provision, such recommendations as it deems appropriate, to the Governor and the General Assembly, for the FIT program, which may include continuation of the program in its original form, phasing out of the program, termination or revision of the program at a date certain, or extension of the program to other schools.
D. For purposes of this section, "schools having at least a 75 percent population of disadvantaged children" means those local education programs qualifying for funds pursuant to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, and the Improving America's School Act of 1994, Title I-Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards (P. L. 103-382 (1994)).
(1999, c. 456.)
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