The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Jay R Lueckel.
DIGEST
Crowe (SB 345)
Present law provides for the creation, purpose, and uses of the Academic Improvement Fund.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides for the creation of the School Technology
Improvement Account and for the deposit of three hundred million dollars from any monies
received by the state for violations associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event into the
account to be used to ensure full wi-fi compliance for all public schools within the state.
Proposed law provides that monies in the School Technology Improvement Account shall be
appropriated for the purposes of ensuring that all public elementary and secondary schools in the
state have full wireless digital capabilities, including but not limited to the purchase and
installation of any computers, servers, routers, equipment, hardware, software, and other required
technology, as may be necessary based on the most recent edition of the Local Education
Authorities (LEA) Technology Readiness Assessments. Proposed law provides that such
improvements should follow the technology footprint charted for individual public elementary
and secondary school districts relative to district readiness, school-by-school readiness, and
technology acquisition support assessment.
Proposed law provides that to implement these provisions the School Technology Steering
Committee shall be formed within thirty days after the date of initial deposit of monies into the
account. The committee shall consist of the following members:
(1)One member of the Louisiana Senate, selected by the president.
(2)One member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, selected by the speaker.
(3)The chief information officer for the Louisiana Department of Education, or his designee.
(4)The chief technology advisor from the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI)
Management Council, or his designee.
(5)The chief information officer for the Division of Administration, or his designee.
(6)One representative with information technology expertise from each of the eight districts
of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and such representatives
shall be selected by the governor from a list of three candidates recommended from each
district by the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents.
Proposed law provides that the committee shall be staffed by the employees of the Louisiana
Department of Education responsible for the publication of the Local Education Authorities (LEA) Technology Readiness Assessments.
Proposed law provides that within sixty days of the date of initial deposit of monies into the
account, the committee shall meet to organize and shall elect from its membership a chairman.
The committee shall meet as often thereafter as deemed necessary by the chairman. Members
shall serve without salary, per diem, or any other expenses.
Proposed law provides that the committee shall begin to develop a needs analysis, an
implementation timetable, and funding allocation plan that will ensure each public elementary
and secondary school has available all necessary digital technology to achieve and to maintain
full wireless digital capabilities, including an accounting of all funding necessary to accomplish
these objectives.
Proposed law provides that the committee shall prepare a report comprising the analysis, the
implementation timetable, and the funding allocation plan within six months after the date of its
first meeting. Each year the report shall be updated to reflect changes in the implementation
timetable and the funding allocation plan.
Proposed law provides that each year the finished report shall then be submitted to the Senate
Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education meeting separately or jointly
for its review.
Proposed law further provides that monies appropriated each year will be distributed upon
approval by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget of the report and the funding
allocation plan submitted by the School Technology Steering Committee.
Proposed law provides that the School Technology Steering Committee shall be abolished and
cease to exist after the total three hundred million dollars has been deposited into the fund and
distributed to the public elementary and postsecondary schools of the state to achieve the
purposes set out in this Subsection.
Effective July 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:354(A) and adds17:354(C))