Senate Bill 2264

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264

    By Senator Sullivan





    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to educational technology;

  3         amending s. 229.603, F.S.; defining the term

  4         "educational technology"; requiring school

  5         improvement plans to include strategies for

  6         implementing educational technology; providing

  7         requirements for the educational technology

  8         component of such plans; requiring the

  9         development, submission, and annual revision of

10         a district educational technology plan;

11         requiring the Department of Education, in

12         consultation with the Educational Technology

13         Advisory Group, to develop and annually update

14         a state educational technology plan; providing

15         requirements for such plan; requiring the

16         development of technology capability

17         thresholds; requiring the department to

18         establish the Technology Services and Products

19         Bank; requiring the Technology Services and

20         Products Bank to perform certain functions;

21         revising requirements relating to the

22         distribution and use of technology funding;

23         eliminating provisions relating to technology

24         grants and grant administration; revising the

25         content of an annual report; establishing the

26         Educational Technology Advisory Group;

27         providing duties, membership, and meeting

28         procedures; providing an effective date.

29

30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1         Section 1.  Section 229.603, Florida Statutes, is

  2  amended to read:

  3         229.603  Educational Instructional Technology Grant

  4  Program.--There is created the Educational Instructional

  5  Technology Grant Program.

  6         (1)  DEFINITION.--As used in this section, the term

  7  "educational technology" includes all technology and

  8  technology-related processes used directly or indirectly for

  9  instructional purposes, including:

10         (a)  The use of hardware, software, networks, distance

11  learning equipment, and related devices that support teaching

12  and learning.

13         (b)  Resources that allow students and teachers to

14  exchange information with others, or permit them to access,

15  retrieve, manipulate, and display information available on the

16  Internet and elsewhere.

17         (c)  Hardware, software, and processes that facilitate

18  the teaching and learning process, such as those resources

19  that support grade reporting, class scheduling, attendance

20  accounting, assessment, and similar functions.

21         (d)  Endeavors relating to supporting the use of

22  technology in the classroom, such as providing technical

23  support.

24         (2)  SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLANS.--Each school,

25  including schools operating for the purpose of providing

26  education services to youth in juvenile justice commitment and

27  detention facilities, must address strategies for implementing

28  educational technology in the school improvement plan which

29  has been approved by the district school board, pursuant to s.

30  230.23(16)(a). The portion of the school improvement plan

31  addressing technology must address:

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1         (a)  The achievement of technology capability

  2  thresholds established by the Department of Education

  3  according to this section.

  4         (b)  Safe access to the school media center or computer

  5  center outside of the regular school day.

  6         (c)  Technical assistance for daily operations.

  7         (3)  DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLANS.--Each

  8  district school board must submit to the Department of

  9  Education, and annually update, a strategic district

10  educational technology plan as part of the district system of

11  planning and budgeting, pursuant to s. 229.551(1)(b). The

12  district educational technology plan shall be developed using

13  information from the technology plans of schools in the

14  district and the technology capability thresholds established

15  by the Department of Education. The plan shall be for a period

16  of at least 3 years, but no more than 5 years, and the initial

17  district plan shall be submitted to the department by August

18  1, 2001. A new plan shall be submitted by August 1 in the

19  final year of the prior plan, and an update must be submitted

20  by August 1 of each of the interim years for the duration of

21  the plan. The plan shall include essential elements as

22  required by the department.

23         (4)  STATE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLAN.--The Department

24  of Education shall develop and annually update a state

25  educational technology plan, in consultation with the

26  Educational Technology Advisory Group. The state educational

27  technology plan shall:

28         (a)  Include technology capability thresholds that

29  represent reasonable levels of technological capability to

30  fully integrate technology into a school in order for the

31  school to effectively utilize grade level appropriate

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1  educational technology in teaching and learning. When

  2  developing and updating the technology capability thresholds,

  3  the department and the Educational Technology Advisory Group

  4  shall take into consideration technology currently available,

  5  as well as forecasted innovations in technology. The

  6  technology capability thresholds shall be designed to build

  7  the skills that students will need to meet the demands of

  8  Florida businesses and industry. The department shall develop

  9  the technology capability thresholds by January 1, 2001. By

10  January 1 each year thereafter, the capability thresholds must

11  be reviewed and updated, as appropriate.

12         (b)  Address student access to technology to support

13  students' educational progress in the community, at work, at

14  school, and at home. The plan shall encourage districts and

15  schools to furnish safe access to school media centers or

16  computer centers outside of the regular school day, and to

17  consider the design of entrances to media centers or computer

18  centers which are safely and readily accessible to the

19  community and to students for use before and after school

20  hours when planning for new construction or remodeling

21  projects.

22         (c)  Address technology infrastructure, communication

23  updates, and upgrades for new and existing schools. The plan

24  shall encourage designs to accommodate future updating and

25  upgrading needs, to provide multiple technological access

26  points, and to facilitate teacher access to telephones and

27  telephone message systems.

28         (5)  TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND PRODUCTS BANK.--The

29  Department of Education shall establish a Technology Services

30  and Products Bank, which shall:

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1         (a)  Collect, and disseminate through an Internet site,

  2  information regarding hardware, software, and technology

  3  services available within the state, including, but not

  4  limited to, educational applications.

  5         (b)  Identify outdated technology; rapid changes in

  6  technology; lowest prices for hardware, software, and

  7  technology services; sources of hardware, software, and

  8  technology services; and fluctuations in prices of hardware,

  9  software, and technology services.

10         (c)  Serve as a clearinghouse of information regarding

11  software research and development project proposals. Work

12  products produced as a result of publicly funded research and

13  development projects shall be reported to the Technology

14  Services and Products Bank for inclusion in the information

15  clearinghouse.

16

17  The Technology Services and Products Bank may not prohibit a

18  school or district school board from selecting specific

19  technology services or products or from independently

20  obtaining the lowest price. A school or a district school

21  board may select the technology solution that most closely

22  aligns with its educational technology plan, the educational

23  philosophy of the school or district school board, and the

24  technology capability thresholds established by the Department

25  of Education.

26         (6)(1)  TECHNOLOGY GRANT FUNDING.--Beginning with the

27  2001-2002 school year, district school boards shall distribute

28  to schools the funds received for public school technology on

29  the basis of the educational technology component of the

30  school improvement plan pursuant to s. 230.23(16) and this

31  section. To receive funding, a proposed project must be in a

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1  school that has achieved the appropriate technology capability

  2  threshold for the proposed project, and the proposed project

  3  must be consistent with both the district educational

  4  technology plan and the state educational technology plan. In

  5  addition, the proposal must describe how the project will

  6  assist in improving student performance. Preference for

  7  funding shall be given to schools that are designated as

  8  performance grade category "D" or "F," pursuant to s. 229.57.

  9  Preference may be given to a school that has matched the

10  request with other funds and private sector contributions to

11  the maximum extent possible.

12         (a)  Eighty percent of the funds appropriated for this

13  program shall be distributed by the Commissioner of Education

14  to the state's school districts on the basis of proposals

15  submitted for implementing instructional technology.  These

16  funds may be used to replicate existing instructional

17  technology programs.  At least 10 percent of these funds shall

18  be used for teacher and other related training.

19         (b)  At least 10 percent of the funds appropriated for

20  this program shall be used to fund research and development

21  and codevelopment of new instructional technologies and their

22  implementation in the classroom.

23         (c)  Up to 10 percent of the funds appropriated for

24  this program shall be used to fund new or innovative use of

25  instructional technology or use of new instructional

26  technology.

27         (2)  GRANT ADMINISTRATION.--

28         (a)  Project proposals must include the following:

29         1.  An outline of the proposed project activities and

30  project budget.

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1         2.  A description of how the proposed project will

  2  integrate instructional technology with regular classroom

  3  teaching.

  4         3.  A description of how the project incorporates

  5  state-of-the-art instructional technology which utilizes

  6  advanced integrated learning systems technology and other

  7  newly developed systems geared to hands-on learning and to

  8  developing higher order thinking skills, including

  9  problem-solving skills, understanding of abstract concepts,

10  and high-level critical thinking and applied learning skills.

11         4.  A description of how the project will affect and be

12  incorporated into the overall implementation of instructional

13  technology in the school district over the next 5 years.

14         5.  A description of the anticipated project results

15  and procedures for assessing the success of the project.

16         (b)  During fiscal year 1990-1991, preference for grant

17  approval shall be given to projects which are dedicated to

18  elementary school implementation and which utilize advanced

19  technology to incorporate self-paced learning.

20         (c)  Preference for grant approval shall be given to

21  districts which maximize their match of the grant request with

22  district funds and private sector contributions.

23         (d)  The Department of Education shall adopt forms for

24  proposal applications.

25         (e)  Proposals shall be recommended to the commissioner

26  by a nine-member grant review panel appointed by the

27  commissioner. The panel shall consist of two teachers, two

28  district administrators, two business people, a school

29  administrator, and two additional members selected at the

30  commissioner's discretion.

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1         (f)  A portion of the grant funds utilized by the

  2  commissioner under paragraph (1)(c) may be utilized to:

  3         1.  Administer the program.

  4         2.  Fund development and codevelopment activities.

  5         3.  Establish a clearinghouse to identify, evaluate,

  6  and disseminate information regarding developments in the

  7  private and public sectors of instructional technology,

  8  including both software and hardware.

  9         4.  Disseminate information regarding successful

10  state-of-the-art systems, including an annual catalog of

11  exemplary projects and products.

12         (g)  The department shall assist grant recipients in

13  using state central-purchasing resources to maximize cost

14  advantages and shall, where necessary, provide districts with

15  technical assistance for needs assessment and grant

16  preparation.

17         (7)(3)  REPORTS.--Beginning January 1, 2001 1991, the

18  commissioner shall make an annual report to the Legislature

19  within 60 days prior to the beginning of the regular

20  legislative session. The report shall include:

21         (a)  A summary of the status of the Educational

22  Instructional Technology Grant Program, including a

23  description of the technology capability thresholds developed

24  according to this section, and the status of school

25  achievement of the capability thresholds.

26         (b)  Recommendations to improve the efficiency and

27  promote the utilization of educational instructional

28  technology.

29         (8)  EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY GROUP.--There is

30  created the Educational Technology Advisory Group which shall

31  advise the Department of Education in developing and annually

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1  updating the state educational technology plan according to

  2  this section. The advisory group shall consist of the

  3  following 10 members, who shall not be elected officials:

  4         (a)  Three members appointed by the Governor, one of

  5  whom shall serve as chair of the study group, and one of whom

  6  shall be a principal from a school that is active in the area

  7  of technology.

  8         (b)  Three members appointed by the Commissioner of

  9  Education, one of whom shall be a teacher who is actively

10  engaged in integrating educational technology into daily

11  teaching and learning.

12         (c)  Two members appointed by the President of the

13  Senate.

14         (d)  Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House

15  of Representatives.

16

17  Each member must possess knowledge, skills, or experience

18  relating to technology. The Governor, the Commissioner of

19  Education, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

20  House of Representatives must each appoint one member who has

21  substantial business experience in the private sector relating

22  to the technology industry. Each appointed member of the

23  advisory group shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing

24  official. A student selected by the superintendent of schools

25  of the district in which the advisory group is meeting may be

26  invited to attend and observe the meeting. The advisory group

27  shall meet at the call of the commissioner. The location of

28  each meeting of the advisory group may vary and shall be

29  determined by the commissioner.

30         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

31  law.

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    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 2264
    22-1258-00                                          See HB 975




  1            *****************************************

  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Defines the term "educational technology." Requires
  4    school improvement plans to include strategies for
      implementing educational technology. Provides
  5    requirements for the educational technology component of
      such plans. Requires the development, submission, and
  6    annual revision of a district educational technology
      plan. Requires the Department of Education, in
  7    consultation with the Educational Technology Advisory
      Group, to develop and annually update a state educational
  8    technology plan. Provides requirements for such plan.
      Requires the development of technology capability
  9    thresholds. Requires the department to establish the
      Technology Services and Products Bank. Requires the
10    Technology Services and Products Bank to perform certain
      functions. Revises requirements relating to the
11    distribution and use of technology funding. Eliminates
      provisions relating to technology grants and grant
12    administration. Revises the content of an annual report.
      Establishes the Educational Technology Advisory Group.
13    Provides duties, membership, and meeting procedures.

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