Sub-Committee: Infrastucture & Hardware

I.  VISION STATEMENT:   In order to actively participate in a growing global environment, West Virginia will embrace, value and utilize technology to stimulate a robust educational, economic and community climate that enhances the lives of all its citizens.

II.  GOALS:

1. To provide the necessary infrastructure to provide internet access to all citizens in West Virginia.
2. To provide the necessary computers to insure sufficient technology access for all citizens in West Virginia.
3. To provide the technical support to insure sufficient support in the maintenance and repair of technology within public facilities.

III.  TARGET AUDIENCES:

• STATE AGENCIES
• K-12
• HIGHER EDUCATION
• CITIZENRY

IV.  OBJECTIVES:

V.  Risks/Barriers:

1. Current 10-year replacement cycle for securing hardware is inadequate.
   
2. Continued reduction in state appropriations for K-12 technology has resulted in a loss of $13,557,373 in funds since FY03 that would have supported infrastructure, hardware and software needs.
   
3. Providing flexibility in purchasing at the local level, and at the same time, providing standards, equity and economies of scale that meet the diverse funding capacity in different school districts.
   
4. Higher education and other state agencies have not provided the necessary information regarding infrastructure, hardware and technical support nor the associated budgets. 
   
5. E-rate funds could be in jeopardy.
   
6. As the use of technology increases (with online assessment, online professional development, etc.), so does the need for additional hardware and bandwidth.
   
7. The WVDE and Legislature provided assurances for the Judge Recht case that the Basic Skills and SUCCESS programs assure equity.   However, with insufficient funding, inequity increases as the ability to update current hardware and software decreases.
   
8. Dispelling the myths of the statewide network configurations (example:  WVEIS takes up all the bandwidth that hinders instructional use).
   
9. Availability of bandwidth capacity for installations in the state network and school configurations from state telecommunications providers. 
   
10. Telecommunications contract installations must be implemented in a timely manner.
    
11. State funding for technology is based on student enrollment.  Therefore, in counties with declining enrollment and limited consolidation, lesser capacity to meet technology needs exists.

VI.  Measuring Success:

1. The administration of a 8^th grade Technology Assessment Program to measure mastery of technology standards.
2. The incorporation and use of 21^st Century Assessments to support higher level application and analysis skills.
3. The equitable purchasing of the latest technology and software for all students based on a 4-year replacement cycle.
4. The incorporation of technology standards within all curriculum areas to enhance student mastery of  content standards and objectives.
5. The design of a survey to measure the use of Basis Skills & Success Software in K-12.
6. Using the data from the comprehensive, statewide WVEIS information management system.
7. Implementing best practices, lessons learned and recommendations that impact student achievement from major research and evaluation projects conducted by approved, independent educational researchers:

• West Virginia technology implementations have been studied and researched via outside evaluators and researchers more than technology programs in any other state.
  
• The Basic Skills program was studied by Columbia and Hofstra University researchers, paid by the Milken Family Foundation to determine if there was student achievement.  The results showed student achievement which were attributed to a number of factors including the turnkey implementation approach.
  
• K-12 distance learning was studied by the Hezel Group to determine status and coordination with Public Broadcasting.  Quality courses were provided with minimal funding.
  
• The SUCCESS program was evaluated at the request of the Legislature.  MGT of America won the bid and deployed national evaluators into WV classrooms to observe the SUCCESS program.   They also tabulated surveys from all principals of SUCCESS schools, along with responses from principals, teachers and students.  Commendations and recommendations were provided and changes to the implementation were made accordingly.  The program was found to be needed and successful, but teachers wanted more software to address specific content areas rather than only productivity skills and career education as the legislation dictated.
• EDC evaluated the Reinventing Education partnership with IBM.  Researchers documented the learning achievement gained in one year with the use of the online juried lesson plans. 
  
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided a grant to the WVDE for technology leadership to train principals and superintendents.  The success was documented by an evaluation of the professional development.
  
• The US Department of Education awarded a three-year grant to the WVDE Office of Technology and a national research company, Rockman, et.al., to study the West Virginia Virtual School middle school Spanish courses.  The initial results have shown the language achievement via online learning to be as effective as face-to-face instruction, and the classroom observations are ongoing this year.
  
• West Virginia was the only state in the nation to be awarded a second evaluation grant.  This one is to study the Technology Integration Specialist (TIS) program by measuring the use of technology with technology.  Software meters and pagers have been provided to teachers in classrooms.  The nationally known researchers are from Interactive, Inc.  The evaluation is ongoing, but the initial results have been presented at national educational and research conferences.
  
• The US Department of Education hired SRI to study educational technology in 6 states.  West Virginia is one of the six, and SRI researchers have been in the state studying the integration of technology in the classrooms.  They have visited a number of schools in a variety of counties.  The report should be available within the year.
  
• Several counties that have been awarded competitive federal technology grants will also be having a local evaluation of the grant implementation.  Those will be due at the end of the grants.

VII.  What is Working:

1. Statewide educational contracts to obtain a total solution of hardware, software, maintenance and professional development, etc.  This has been researched by Columbia and Hofstra University researchers and shown that the total solution was a major factor in improvement of student achievement.
   
2. Hardware and infrastructure from the Basic Skills, SUCCESS and Telecommunications statewide programs provide the hardware needed to access the West Virginia Virtual School courses (and all other online programs). 
   
3. The three statewide programs leverage partnerships like IBM Reinventing Education, SAS in School Curriculum Pathways, Intel Partnership, MarcoPolo, etc.
   
4. K-12 partnership in the state network for Internet access.  WVNET is able to pool resource needs of K-12, higher education and state agencies for economies of scale.
   
5. State standards for hardware and infrastructure necessary for a K-12 statewide network.
   
6. The joining of K-12 administrative and instructional network to run over the same infrastructure.
   
7. Statewide e-mail server that provides e-mail accounts to all educators and K-12 students.
   
8. Filtering for all schools provided at the state infrastructure level to protect students and meet E-rate requirements.   This allows consistent filtering, manageable updates, and easier to assist local, state and federal authorities with inquiries.
   
9. Statewide e-learning platform that houses K-12 online courses, professional development for educators and support staff in schools, end-of-course assessments, educator forums, and digital content.
   
10. The statewide WVEIS system provides data from the classroom to the mandated federal level.  It is the system that provides all of the data for the No Child Left Behind federal act, for all federal reporting requirements and for all state and legislative mandates.
    
11. The bandwidth we have is working to full capacity.
    
12. Software on statewide contracts has been correlated to the state content standards and objectives.
    
13. The contracts provide online support for software correlations, technical bulletins, updates on the state contracts, forum for discussion, etc.

VIII.  What is Not Working:

1. Even though professional development is provided, all educators are not integrating the technology.
   
2. There is no constant public relations about the programs and what is provided.
   
3. Budget cuts have severely hindered the refresh cycle for hardware.
   
4. Funding structure does not meet the needs of increased technology use.
   
5. State telecommunications contracts need to be reviewed carefully and rebid in a timely manner so E-rate will not be lost.
   
6. Sufficient time to address professional development that is needed for the technical support.
   
7. Correctly classify a prevailing wage category for low voltage cabling instead of having to pay for a low voltage cabler at an electrician’s wage.
   
8. Need additional bandwidth to serve increasing needs.

IX.  Short Term Initiatives:

1. Release of restricted state FY 06 Technology Budget appropriation in order to restore necessary expenditures for K-12.
   
2. Develop a comprehensive RFP for acquiring telecommunication services (March, 2006).
   
3. Develop and administer a comprehensive needs assessment to determine broadband, equipment and technical support required to meet existing and future requirements for all target audiences.
   
4. Develop a 4 or fewer year computer replacement cycle for K-12.
   
5. Develop a communication plan that will summarize availability of public access opportunities within various communities.
   
6. Pilot within one community broadband access to the internet and develop a feasibility report to determine future expansion. 
   
7. Evaluating existing and new K-12, Higher Education and State Agency computer hardware contracts (including services and maintenance) to determine comparability.
   
8. Secure legislation that classifies a prevailing wage category for low voltage cabling.