Legislative Issues
Mark Goldstein
January 16, 1996
The following five legislative initiatives were presented at January 15, 1996 Legislative Luncheon.
Arizona Learning System: Digital video based distance learning system will integrate all of our state wide community colleges, with linkages to K-12 and three universities. Will need $2.7 million to establish system. Using common carriers with the system will be self sufficient in three years. Will get critical mass and support digital economic development in rural areas.
Arizona Department of Education: The proposed telecommunications system will connect the ADOE with all districts and then schools with a client server architecture. The prototype in Pinal County will be rolled out state wide. There will also be significant capacity for both administrative and instructional needs. The program requires $15 million over seven years, with $3 million to finalize the software, install and train. The administrative component will manage expenditures of $20+ billion over seven years, with expectation of savings of millions of dollars each year on accounting mistakes and inefficiencies. The instructional capability will support distance learning and Internet access.
State Libraries: The state library system supports local communities to enhance library support of businesses and economic development. $1 million is needed for computers with Internet connectivity, and training at 27 sites.
K-12 Education: Specific State funding for accelerating educational technology adoption and use is needed at $17.50 per student for hardware-software and telecommunications, and $12.50 per student for teacher training and support. With 750,000 students, this would cost $22,500,000 at the State level. Texas is a typical state that spends $27/student. This funding would provide equitable access to equipment and support for students across the state.
Arizona Learning Technology Partnership’s January 15th Expo - Legislative lunch and January 16th Strategic Planning Session launches the state wide strategic planning process for K-12 education. It is modeled after the successful Arizona Strategic Planning for Economic Development. An RFP will provide professional consulting support to conduct studies, assessments of best practices and statewide focus groups and planning sessions with all sectors of education, government and business. The requested $100,000 for ADOE and $100,000 for ADOC will combined with private sector donations. The outcome will be an integrated strategic plan to bring appropriate technology to all K-12 school children in Arizona, with linkages to the workplace, colleges and universities.
Project EAGLE: State agencies are banding together to acquire a single integrated telecommunications system to provide increased effectiveness in customer service and reduced costs. This project is underway (in the RIF part of the cycle) using current funding and does not need implementation funding.
Two Year Legislative Cycle
The leadership of the following legislative initiatives have been meeting and working together for the past six months under the auspices of the Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council. Their work is a continuation of the work accomplished under ASPIN and the 1994 Governor’s Commission plan which lead to the formation of the Telecommunications Policy Office. A two year legislative plan has emerged. Legislative requests for this year will support the telecommunications and learning technology systems currently under development. The 1997 strategic planning process for Arizona K-12 educational technology adoption has its foundation in the current legislation. The ALTP process will produce a long range legislative plan and a strategic plan with tasks for every business, government and education sector.
EAGLE+ALS+K-12+Libraries => Business Community
The proposed broad-band system will support tele-medicine, electronic commerce, distance education and training, video conferencing, tele-commuting and many other necessities of information age economic development. The unique part of the system is that it will be provided by partnerships of telecommunication providers, not dedicated State leased lines. There will be cost savings over the current systems, and the seven year, approximately $300 million cost will be covered within current public entity budgets. All that is need is specific funding for transition to the new system. This funding addresses training, support, software, and specific hardware to make the system work at the connecting entities.
By collaborating on the public sector, the State becomes an anchor tenant. The State department, university and community college needs will take the system into each population center. The K-12 extension to 1000 regular and 200 charter schools will take this broadband network into every local community in Arizona, both rural and urban. As the commercial providers establish the State network; local businesses and governments can take advantage of the high band width telecommunications that are now in their area. This Arizona cost cutting, government improving, education enhancing and economy driving plan was created and presented in the 1994 Governor’s Commission for the Study of the Telecommunications and Information Industry in Arizona report. The report focused on State level leadership, effective competition and cooperation for innovation. This proposed State broad-band system is the embodiment of all three of these principles.
The Legislature Response From January 15th Luncheon
There is support for a strategic plan that will determine total scope and integrate all elements. That the various communities come together with a unified voice, is a major force to promote legislation for technology in education. Hard to sell individual projects but integration/coordination will pay off. The planning process makes sense.
For the K-12 technology strategic planning support bill HB-2277, the legislators need to know what is included and what are the deliverables. The roles of the Arizona Department of Commerce and Arizona Department of Education need to be delineated. The critical votes are 8 in appropriations, 31 on the house floor, 16 in the senate floor and the governor. Three from house appropriations were at this luncheon.
There is a $20 million box for new appropriations and last year there was $400 million in new legislation proposed. Need to sell to 8-31-16-1. Legislature appropriates $ then management moves to local school districts. Planning must integrate down to local level including accountability/reporting of progress.
The crucial issue is to where is it best to invest Arizona $ in the future of Arizona, and where is the money coming from? Access to technology is important but we are failing now in providing basic infrastructure and buildings. Hard to address technology when the roof leaks.
Schools have done a good job of prior technology adoption. But afraid of significantly more capital investment that does not have funds for upgrades, training, maintenance and support. Wires in ground are useless without equitable funding for hardware/software, and support. Also need to provide professional training for teachers.
Using technology effectively is an issue to address. Student’s individual needs require tailored instruction. Must address poor English skills and mainstreaming of handicapped children.
Community Colleges are on the cutting edge of technology and they are pathfinders in bringing technology to a major concern: rural areas. Cochise College brings distance learning Nogales. NAU-Net into Yuma provides remote college degrees. School-to-work is supported by high tech industry in Arizona which needs technology grounding and skills.
Working together over the past several years these issues are being addressed in a mutually supportive manner. The legislature is receptive to bills that have covered all bases and have a broad base of business, government and education support.
Mark Goldstein, Principal
International Research Center
PO Box 825, Tempe, AZ 85280-0825
(602) 470-0389
markg@xroads.com