STATE GOVERNMENT
AND STATE AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 57
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
67-5745D.Idaho education network. (1) The legislature finds that:
(a) Idaho
does not have a statewide coordinated and funded high-bandwidth education
network;
(b) Such
a network will enable required and advanced courses, concurrent enrollment
and teacher training to be deliverable to all public high schools
through an efficiently-managed statewide infrastructure; and
(c) Aggregating
and leveraging demand at the statewide level will provide overall
benefits and efficiencies in the procurement of telecommunications
services, including high-bandwidth connectivity, internet access,
purchases of equipment, federal subsidy program expertise and other
related services.
(2) As used
in this section, "Idaho Education Network (IEN)" means the
coordinated, statewide telecommunications distribution system for
distance learning for each public school, including two-way interactive
video, data, internet access and other telecommunications services
for providing distance learning. The term also includes connections
to each institution of higher education and other locations as necessary
to facilitate distance education, teacher training and other related
services.
(3) The
department of administration shall provide administrative oversight
for IEN.
(4) In performing
the duties under this section, the department of administration shall
consider the following goals to ensure that:
(a) Idaho
will utilize technology to facilitate comparable access to educational
opportunities for all students;
(b) Idaho
will be a leader in the use of technology to deliver advanced high
school curricula, concurrent college credit, and ongoing teacher training
on an equitable basis throughout the state; and
(c) Idaho
will leverage its statewide purchasing power for the IEN to promote
private sector investment in telecommunications infrastructure that
will benefit other technology applications such as telemedicine, telecommuting,
telegovernment and economic development.
(5) In performing
the duties under this section, subject to the availability of funds,
the department of administration shall:
(a) Coordinate
the development, outsourcing and implementation of a statewide network
for education, which shall include high-bandwidth connectivity, two-way
interactive video and internet access, using primarily fiber optic
and other high-bandwidth transmission media;
(b) Consider
statewide economic development impacts in the design and implementation
of the educational telecommunications infrastructure;
(c) Coordinate
and support the telecommunications needs, other than basic voice communications
of public education;
(d) Procure
high-quality, cost-effective internet access and appropriate interface
equipment to public education facilities;
(e) Procure
telecommunications services and equipment on behalf of public education;
(f) Procure
and implement technology and equipment for the delivery of distance
learning;
(g) In conjunction
with the state department of education, apply for state and federal
funding for technology on behalf of IEN services;
(h) Procure
telecommunications services and equipment for the IEN through an open
and competitive bidding process;
(i) Work
with the private sector to deliver high-quality, cost-effective services
statewide; and
(j) Cooperate
with state and local governmental and educational entities and provide
leadership and consulting for telecommunications for education.
(6) The
department of administration shall follow an implementation plan that:
(a) In the
first phase, will connect each public high school with a scalable,
high-bandwidth connection, including connections to each institution
of higher education and the Idaho digital learning academy as provided
for in chapter 55, title 33, Idaho
Code, as necessary, thereby allowing any location on IEN to share
educational resources with any other location; (b) Upon
completion of the first phase, shall provide that each public high
school will be served with high-bandwidth connectivity, internet access
and equipment in at least one (1) two-way interactive video classroom;
and
(c) In subsequent
phases, will evaluate and make recommendations to the legislature
for:
(i) Connectivity
to each elementary and middle school;
(ii) The
addition of libraries to the IEN; and
(iii) The migration
of state agency locations from current technology and services.
(7) The
department of administration shall, in its administration of the provisions
of this section, comply with all provisions of federal law and regulations
necessary to obtain and maintain qualification of the IEN and its
participating schools in order to enable receipt of federal universal
service support funding and the federal e-rate discount program for
schools and libraries including, but not limited to, maintenance of
the IEN as a separate and distinct network to the extent necessary
to obtain and maintain such qualification.
(8) Educational
institutions served by the IEN shall manage site operations under
policies established by the department of administration and the state
department of education.
(9) Idaho
education network fund. There is hereby created in the state treasury
the Idaho education network fund. Moneys in the fund shall consist
of funds received from state appropriations, grants, federal moneys,
donations or funds from any other source. Moneys in the fund may be
expended, pursuant to appropriation, for implementation and ongoing
costs of the Idaho education network. The treasurer shall invest all
idle moneys in the fund. Any interest earned on the investment of
idle moneys shall be returned to the fund.
Idaho Statutes