LOWELL | Students and teachers will need to make do with the technology they have now, Tri-Creek officials said, after learning the school district had not made the cut for money from the state's Common School Fund Technology Program.

"We had developed our technology plan based on that money. We won't be doing the technology advancements we'd planned to do," Robert Hopper, director of technology said.

The school system had requested $342,750 in late August.

The plan had called for the replacement of computers, some six and seven years old, as well as the creation of cluster computers in elementary classrooms.

Hopper said the state has suggested that ISTEP testing could be done online as early as next year. That will be impossible for the elementary youngsters now without the cluster computers, he said.

Superintendent Alice Neal said there will be another window of opportunity to gain state technology funds in 60 to 90 days.

However, the technology program funds the poorest school districts, and, in the current round, awarded funds to only eight.

While Tri-Creek has, in past years, received funding as one of the poorer school districts applying for funds, Assistant Superintendent Ray Cusic said the denial from the state was based on the 2007 assessed valuation.

Cusic said he was just recently apprised of the certified 2008 assessed valuation, which has risen 7 percent.