As funding continues to be challenged by weak economic conditions, school technology upgrades remain at a premium. There are, however, sources out there to continue the funding of needed upgrades without drawing money from other important areas. State and federal money streams remain stable sources for funding school technology upgrades through a number of programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Race to the Top Funds

Go to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Education Technology website to get your state's application through its Race to the Top program. The focus of this grant is for states to adopt standards and assessments in technology that help prepare students for the 21st century through college and work and the building of data systems to measure their academic progress, and to provide data for teachers and principals about student improvement. Additional funding priorities include the recruitment and retention of effective teachers and principals in an effort to turn around low-performing schools. Over 4 billion dollars in funding is available to achieve these goals.

Read the application thoroughly before filling it out. Prepare by making a list of all the materials needed to complete the application and then gathering them together in one place. Some materials include state and federal ID numbers, student data to demonstrate records of successful academic achievement, and a list of what must be funded, by what vendors, with pricing indicated.

Fill out the application in its entirety. Sign it, make the required copies, and send it in by deadline. Each state has its own application deadline.

Investing in Innovation Funds

Go to the U.S. Department of Education website and obtain an application for the Investing in Innovation program for your state. Districts may apply individually or as a group, and must demonstrate previous success in closing achievement gaps and improving student academic performance toward state standards. Investing in Innovation has three priority funding areas: Scale-up grants provide the most funding and are for programs with an existing record of success. Validation grants are funds available for existing programs that hold promise for further impact. Development grants are smaller grants to help with new programs for further study. Grant recipients must match funds with public or private funding.

Decide whether you will apply as an individual district or as a group. You may also apply in partnership with a for-profit company, and will need to make this arrangement prior to completing the application.

Read the application over carefully and gather all the materials needed to complete it -- budgetary information, student achievement data, and a listing of technology upgrades to be purchased, with vendor and pricing information.

Fill out the application in its entirety, and submit it by the indicated deadline to the state designated official.