Senate Bill sb1946
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 1946
By Senator Bronson
18-1172-01
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to student educational
3 improvement; creating s. 229.604, F.S.;
4 defining the term "educational technology";
5 requiring school improvement plans to include
6 strategies for implementing educational
7 technology; providing requirements for the
8 educational technology component of such plans;
9 requiring the development, submission, and
10 annual revision of a district educational
11 technology plan; requiring the Department of
12 Education, in consultation with the Educational
13 Technology Advisory Group, to develop and
14 annually update a state educational technology
15 plan; providing requirements for such plan;
16 requiring the development of technology
17 capability thresholds; requiring the department
18 to establish the Technology Services and
19 Products Bank; requiring the Technology
20 Services and Products Bank to perform certain
21 functions; providing requirements for the
22 distribution and use of technology funding;
23 requiring an annual report; providing
24 requirements for the contents of the report;
25 establishing the Educational Technology
26 Advisory Group; providing duties, membership,
27 reimbursement of per diem and travel expenses,
28 and meeting procedures; providing an effective
29 date.
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 1946
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1 WHEREAS, the most significant populations of students
2 in need of educational improvement methodologies to meet the
3 Constitutional requirement of a high quality education are
4 students with disabilities and students who lack the
5 technology foundation to succeed in school and the workplace,
6 NOW, THEREFORE,
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8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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10 Section 1. Section 229.604, Florida Statutes, is
11 created to read:
12 229.604 Educational Technology Program.--There is
13 created the Educational Technology Program.
14 (1) DEFINITION.--As used in this section, the term
15 "educational technology" includes all technology and
16 technology-related processes used directly or indirectly for
17 instructional purposes, including:
18 (a) The use of hardware, software, networks, distance
19 learning equipment, and related devices that support teaching
20 and learning.
21 (b) Resources that allow students and teachers to
22 exchange information with others, or permit them to access,
23 retrieve, manipulate, and display information available on the
24 Internet and elsewhere.
25 (c) Hardware, software, and processes that facilitate
26 the teaching and learning process, such as those resources
27 that support grade reporting, class scheduling, attendance
28 accounting, assessment, and similar functions.
29 (d) Endeavors relating to supporting the use of
30 technology in the classroom, such as providing technical
31 support.
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 1946
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1 (2) SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLANS.--Each school,
2 including schools operating for the purpose of providing
3 education services to youth in juvenile justice commitment and
4 detention facilities, must address strategies for implementing
5 educational technology in the school improvement plan that has
6 been approved by the district school board under s.
7 230.23(16)(a). The portion of the school improvement plan
8 addressing technology must address:
9 (a) The achievement of technology capability
10 thresholds established by the Department of Education
11 according to this section.
12 (b) Safe access to the school media center or computer
13 center outside of the regular school day.
14 (c) Technical assistance for daily operations.
15 (3) DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLANS.--Each
16 district school board must submit to the Department of
17 Education, and annually update, a strategic district
18 educational technology plan as part of the district system of
19 planning and budgeting, pursuant to s. 229.555(1)(b). The
20 district educational technology plan shall be developed using
21 information from the technology plans of schools in the
22 district and the technology capability thresholds established
23 by the Department of Education. The plan shall be for a period
24 of at least 3 years, but no more than 5 years, and the initial
25 district plan shall be submitted to the department by August
26 1, 2002. A new plan shall be submitted by August 1 in the
27 final year of the prior plan, and an update must be submitted
28 by August 1 of each of the interim years for the duration of
29 the plan. The plan shall include essential elements as
30 required by the department.
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 1946
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1 (4) STATE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLAN.--The Department
2 of Education shall develop and annually update a state
3 educational technology plan, in consultation with the
4 Educational Technology Advisory Group. The state educational
5 technology plan shall:
6 (a) Include technology capability thresholds for each
7 grade level and each subject area which represent reasonable
8 levels of technological capability to fully integrate
9 technology into a school in order for the school to
10 effectively use grade-level-appropriate educational technology
11 in teaching and learning. When developing and updating the
12 technology capability thresholds, the department and the
13 Educational Technology Advisory Group shall take into
14 consideration technology currently available as well as
15 forecasted innovations in technology. The technology
16 capability thresholds shall be designed to build the skills
17 that students will need to meet the demands of Florida
18 businesses and industry. Assessment measures for each grade
19 level and each subject area shall be designed to measure
20 student performance outcomes as a result of implementation of
21 the technology capability thresholds by a district school
22 board. The department shall develop the technology capability
23 thresholds by January 1, 2001. By January 1 each year
24 thereafter, the capability thresholds must be reviewed and
25 updated, as appropriate.
26 (b) Address student access to technology to support
27 students' educational progress in the community, at work, at
28 school, and at home. The plan shall encourage districts and
29 schools to furnish safe access to school media centers or
30 computer centers outside of the regular school day, and, when
31 planning for new construction or remodeling projects, to
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1 emphasize the design of entrances to media centers or computer
2 centers for safe and ready access for the community and for
3 students before and after school hours.
4 (c) Address technology infrastructure, communication
5 updates, and upgrades for new and existing schools. The plan
6 shall encourage designs to accommodate future updating and
7 upgrading needs, to provide multiple technological access
8 points, and to facilitate teacher access to telephones and
9 telephone message systems.
10 (d) Address teacher professional development in the
11 area of technology to ensure that each teacher receives the
12 training necessary to operate each form of technology used in
13 the classroom and to use each form of technology to achieve
14 the objectives of the district educational technology plan.
15 Performance-based assessment measures shall be designed to
16 determine the effectiveness of this training.
17 (5) TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND PRODUCTS BANK.--The
18 Department of Education shall establish a Technology Services
19 and Products Bank, which shall:
20 (a) Collect, and disseminate through an Internet site,
21 information regarding hardware, software, and technology
22 services available within the state, including, but not
23 limited to, educational applications.
24 (b) Identify outdated technology; rapid changes in
25 technology; lowest prices for hardware, software, and
26 technology services; sources of hardware, software, and
27 technology services; and fluctuations in prices of hardware,
28 software, and technology services.
29 (c) Serve as a clearinghouse of information regarding
30 software research and development project proposals. Work
31 products produced as a result of publicly funded research and
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1 development projects shall be reported to the Technology
2 Services and Products Bank for inclusion in the information
3 clearinghouse.
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5 The Technology Services and Products Bank may not prohibit a
6 school or district school board from selecting specific
7 technology services or products or from independently
8 obtaining the lowest price. A school or a district school
9 board may select the technology solution that most closely
10 aligns with its educational technology plan, the educational
11 philosophy of the school or district school board, and the
12 technology capability thresholds established by the Department
13 of Education.
14 (6) TECHNOLOGY FUNDING.--Beginning with the 2002-2003
15 school year, district school boards shall distribute to
16 schools the funds received for public school technology on the
17 basis of the educational technology component of the school
18 improvement plan pursuant to s. 230.23(16) and this section.
19 To receive funding, a proposed project must be in a school
20 that has achieved the appropriate technology capability
21 threshold for the proposed project, and the proposed project
22 must be consistent with both the district educational
23 technology plan and the state educational technology plan. In
24 addition, the proposal must describe how the project will
25 assist in improving student performance. Preference for
26 funding shall be given to schools that are designated as
27 performance grade category "D" or "F," pursuant to s. 229.57.
28 Preference may be given to a school that has matched the
29 request with other funds and private sector contributions to
30 the maximum extent possible.
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1 (7) REPORTS.--Beginning January 1, 2002, the
2 Commissioner of Education shall make an annual report to the
3 Legislature within 60 days prior to the beginning of the
4 regular legislative session. The report shall include:
5 (a) A summary of the status of the Educational
6 Technology Program, including a description of the technology
7 capability thresholds developed according to this section, and
8 the status of school achievement of the capability thresholds.
9 (b) Recommendations to improve the efficiency and
10 promote the use of educational technology.
11 (8) EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY GROUP.--There is
12 created the Educational Technology Advisory Group, which shall
13 advise the Department of Education in developing and annually
14 updating the state educational technology plan according to
15 this section. In addition, the Educational Technology Group
16 shall annually review all district educational technology
17 plans and make recommendations concerning approval to the
18 Department of Education. The advisory group shall consist of
19 the following 12 members, who may not be elected officials:
20 (a) Three members appointed by the Governor, one of
21 whom shall serve as chair of the study group and one of whom
22 shall be a principal from a school that is active in the area
23 of technology.
24 (b) Three members appointed by the Commissioner of
25 Education, one of whom shall be a teacher who is actively
26 engaged in integrating educational technology into daily
27 teaching and learning.
28 (c) Three members appointed by the President of the
29 Senate.
30 (d) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the
31 House of Representatives.
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Florida Senate - 2001 SB 1946
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2 Each member must possess knowledge, skills, or experience
3 relating to technology. The Governor, the Commissioner of
4 Education, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
5 House of Representatives must each appoint two members who
6 have substantial business experience in the private sector
7 relating to the technology industry. Each appointed member of
8 the advisory group shall serve at the pleasure of the
9 appointing official. Members of the advisory group shall serve
10 without compensation but shall be reimbursed for per diem and
11 travel in accordance with s. 112.061. A student selected by
12 the superintendent of schools of the district in which the
13 advisory group is meeting may be invited to attend and observe
14 the meeting. The advisory group shall meet at the call of the
15 commissioner. The location of each meeting of the advisory
16 group may vary and shall be determined by the commissioner.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.
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20 SENATE SUMMARY
21 Creates the Educational Technology Program. Requires
schools to include in their school improvement plans a
22 strategy for implementing educational technology.
Provides requirements for such plans. Requires the
23 development, submission, and annual revision of a
district educational technology plan. Requires the
24 Department of Education to develop and annually update a
state educational technology plan. Provides requirements
25 for the plan. Requires the development of technology
capability thresholds. Requires the department to
26 establish the Technology Services and Products Bank.
Requires the bank to perform certain functions. Provides
27 for the distribution and use of technology funding.
Requires an annual report. Establishes the Educational
28 Technology Advisory Group. Provides duties, membership,
and meeting procedures.
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