In 1983, the Indiana General Assembly established the School Technology Advancement Account (STAA) within the Common School Fund. The purpose of the account is to provide loans to Indiana school districts to fund: a) the purchase of computer hardware and software to be used primarily for student instruction, and b) the development and implementation of innovative technology projects. Any Indiana school district authorized by law to establish public schools and levy taxes for their maintenance and which has a three-year technology plan on file with the Indiana DOE's Office of Learning Resources may apply for an STAA loan.

A total of five million dollars is available each year from the School Technology Advancement Account. The minimum amount an individual district may apply for is $20,000. The maximum amount an individual district may apply for is determined by the following formula: K-12 enrollment divided by 25, rounded to the next highest whole number, times $500. The interest on a STAA loan is currently set at 1%.

The payback period on STAA loans varies from two to five years, depending on the amount of the loan. Any school district receiving an STAA loan may levy a tax in the debt service fund each year sufficient to produce an amount equal to the amount deducted each year from the distribution of state school tuition funds to pay both the principal and the interest of the loan.

An eligible school district that wants to apply for an FY08 STAA loan must submit a completed petition form by September 14, 2007 to the Office of Learning Resources.

School Technology Advancement Account (STAA) information and application

• 2007 STAA Petition Form New
• STAA Questions and Answers New
   
• STAA Loans granted for FY 2007
• STAA Loans granted for FY 2006
• STAA Loans granted for FY 2005
• STAA Loans granted for FY 2004

Contact:

Marcia Bolin
317-234-2382
mbolin@doe.in.gov