Appel (SB 622) Act No. 772
New law requires the state Dept. of Education to develop and implement a statewide
educational technology plan for public elementary and secondary schools to ensure that
every classroom has sufficient infrastructure and capacity to provide a high quality, digital
instructional environment.
Provides that the technology plan shall:
(1)Establish recommended standards for devices, Internet bandwidth, software
applications, and local network capacity.
(2)Establish clear short-term and long-term goals and standards for school technology
readiness and develop a realistic strategy, timeline, and cost estimates to meet both
minimum and optimal standards.
(3)Ensure that every classroom has reliable, high speed, wireless, broadband Internet
access and connectivity for computers, white boards, smart boards, and other
interactive devices.
(4)Consider the technology needs of high poverty and rural areas.
(5)Identify and use all available Internet bandwidth assets provided through a request
for proposal process through which both public and private entities are considered.
(6)Provide for ongoing professional development for teachers and other school level
staff.
(7)Require every school and school system to develop and implement an Internet safety
policy that protects students from harmful materials, prevents unauthorized access
to content and resources, and complies with all state and federal student laws.
Requires the department, in developing the plan, to:
(1)Conduct a technology needs assessment of all schools and school systems, including
an inventory of existing hardware and software, internal and external networks,
servers, workstations, and operating systems.
(2)Evaluate the current technology readiness status of every public elementary and
secondary school, including hardware, software, and broadband capacity.
Requires the state superintendent of education to:
(1)Identify the costs for upgrading existing software and equipment, acquiring new
software and equipment, ongoing maintenance, and technical support and develop
a funding strategy, including state contracts to provide for cost savings wherever
possible.
(2)Identify and develop funding mechanisms to support implementation of the plan.
(3)Inform schools and school systems of available technology funding sources and
applicable timelines and deadlines and encourage local schools and school systems
to maximize the use of existing local, state, and federal funding sources for
technology purposes.
(4)Conduct and publish a technology readiness assessment of each public school twice
a year including a review of devices, Internet bandwidth, school and school system
expenditures on technology, and use of state technology contracts.
(5)Provide ongoing guidance and technical assistance to schools and school systems.
(6)Evaluate the statewide school technology plan and update as often as necessary, but
not less than once per year, to keep current with technological advances.
Requires the Board of Regents to collaborate and cooperate with the department to develop
policies and procedures to allow public elementary and secondary schools access to all available Internet assets provided through a request for proposal process through which both
public and private entities are considered.
Requires the department annually to submit a written report to the Senate and House
education committees by January 15th regarding implementation of the statewide education
technology plan and the status of technology readiness of each public school and school
system.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Adds R.S. 17:3921.2)