GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1385*

Short Title:  School Technology Plans/Fund.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Winner of Mecklenburg; Gunter, Hartsell, Perdue, Sherron, Simpson, Smith, Ward, and Warren.
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Referred to:  Education/Higher Education.
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May 25, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION ON SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE FOR STATE AND LOCAL SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PLANS, TO ESTABLISH A STATE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY FUND, AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION AND THE STATE SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY FUND.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-102.5(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Notwithstanding G.S. 120-123 and subsection (b) of this section, the Commission shall also include one member of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  These members shall be voting members.  The term of office of these members shall end November 1, 1994."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 115C-102.6 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-102.6.  Duty to prepare a requirements analysis and propose a State school technology plan.
The Commission shall prepare a requirements analysis and propose a State school technology plan for improving student performance in the public schools through the use of learning and instructional management technologies.
In developing this plan, the Commission shall:
(1)	Assess factors related to the current use of learning and instructional management technologies in the schools, including what is currently being used, how the current use of technology relates to the standard course of study, how the effectiveness of learning and instructional management technologies is being evaluated, how schools are paying for learning and instructional management technologies, and what training school employees have received in the use of learning and instructional management technology and networks.
(2)	Identify the instructional goals that can be met through the use of learning and instructional management technologies.  The goals may include teaching the standard course of study, reaching students with a broad range of abilities, and ensuring that all students have access to a complete curriculum regardless of the geographical location or the financial resources of the school.
(3)	Examine the types of learning and instructional management technologies available to meet the identified instructional goals, including computers, audiovisual aids, science laboratory equipment, vocational education equipment, and distance learning networks.  The Commission shall consider the compatibility and accessibility of different types of learning and instructional management technologies, including compatibility with the planned statewide broadband ISDN network, and whether they may be easily communicated from one site to another.  The Commission shall also consider linkages between learning and instructional management technologies and existing State and local administrative systems.
(4)	Develop a basic level of learning and instructional management technology for every school in the State.  The basic level may include:
a.	A computer lab with student stations or a specified number of student computer stations in each classroom for the use of instructional software such as computer-assisted instruction, integrated learning systems, instructional management systems, and applications software such as word processing, database, spreadsheet, and desktop publishing.
b.	A computer workstation in every classroom for teachers to use in preparation and delivery of instruction and for administrative record keeping.
c.	A television monitor and video cassette-recorder in every classroom to take advantage of open-air broadcast programs, satellite programs, and instructional video tapes available from the library/media center.
d.	Computer workstations at each elementary and secondary school, housed in the library/media center, for individual students to use for basic skills instructional software.
e.	A telecommunications line, modem, and software in each school's library/media center that will allow students and teachers access to external databases and resources for research purposes.
f.	The availability of telephones for teachers.
g.	Initial training for the principal and teachers from each school in the use of the new technology.
(5)	Consider staffing required to operate the learning and instructional management technologies and options for maintaining the equipment.
(6)	Consider the types of staff development necessary to maximize the benefits of learning and instructional management technologies and determine the appropriate ways to provide the necessary staff development.
(7)	Develop a cost analysis of any plans and proposals that it develops."
Sec. 3.  Part 3A of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding four new sections to read:
"§ 115C-102.6A. Elements of the State school technology plan.
(a)	The State school technology plan shall be a long-term State implementation plan for using funds from the State School Technology Fund and other sources to improve student performance in the public schools through the use of learning and instructional management technologies.  The plan shall provide for a foundation of flexible and long-lasting technology that will result in the achievement of substantial gains in student performance in a cost-effective manner.
(b)	Components of the State school technology plan shall include:
(1)	Common technical standards and uniform practices and procedures that provide statewide economies of scale in procurements, training, support, planning, and operations.
(2)	Conceptual technical architecture that includes:
a.	Principles. – Statements of direction, goals, and concepts to guide the development of technical architecture;
b.	Standards. – Detailed specifications to ensure hardware, software, databases, and other products that may have been developed independently or purchased from different vendors will work together; and
c.	Implementation strategies. – Approaches or guidelines for developing and installing the components of the technical infrastructure.
(3)	A quality assurance policy for all school technology projects, training programs, systems documentation, and maintenance plans.
(4)	Policies and procedures for the fair and competitive procurement of school technology that provide local school administrative units with a vendor-neutral operating environment in which different school technology hardware, software, and networks operate together easily and reliably, to the extent feasible consistent with meeting instructional goals.
(5)	A comprehensive policy for inventory control.
(6)	Parameters for continuous, ongoing training for all personnel involved in the use of school technology.  Training shall focus on the integration of technology and instruction and on the use of particular applications.
(7)	Recommendations to the State Board of Education of requirements for preservice teacher training on the integration of teaching and school technology.
(8)	Proposals for leadership training on the use of school technology to improve instruction and as a management tool.
(9)	Development of expertise at the State and regional levels on school technology.
(10)	Flexibility to enable local school administrative units and individual schools to meet individual school unit and building needs.
(11)	Flexibility to meet the needs of all students, allow support to students with a wide range of abilities, and ensure access to challenging curricula and instruction for children at risk of school failure.
(12)	Use of technologies to support challenging State and local educational performance goals.
(13)	Effective and integrated use of technologies compatible with (i) the standard course of study, (ii) the State assessment program, and (iii) related student data management.
(14)	Use of technologies as a communication, instructional, and management tool and for problem-solving, exploration, and advanced skills.
(15)	Proposals for addressing equipment needs for vocational education, Tech Prep, and science instruction.
(16)	Specifications for minimum components of local school technology plans.
"§ 115C-102.6B.  Approval of State school technology plan.
(a)	The Commission shall present the State school technology plan it develops to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee for their comments prior to January 1, 1995.  At least every two years thereafter, the Commission shall develop any necessary modifications to the State school technology plan and present them to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
(b)	After presenting the plan or any proposed modifications to the plan to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Commission shall submit the plan or any proposed modifications to (i) the Information Resources Management Commission for its approval of the technical components of the plan set out in G.S. 115C-102.6A(1) through (4), and (ii) the State Board of Education for its approval of the components of the plan set out in G.S. 115C-102.6A(5) through (16).
(c)	If no changes are made to the plan or the proposed modifications to the plan after the submission to the Information Resources Management Commission and the State Board of Education, the plan or the proposed modifications shall take effect upon approval by the Information Resources Management Commission and the State Board of Education.
If changes are made to the plan or the proposed modifications after the submission to the Information Resources Management Commission and the State Board of Education, the plan or the proposed modifications shall take effect after the Commission (i)	reports the changes to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and (ii) considers the comments of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
"§ 115C-102.6C.  Approval of local school technology plans.
(a)	Each local board of education shall develop a local school technology plan that meets the requirements of the State school technology plan and shall submit the local plan to the State Board of Education for its approval.  The Department of Public Instruction shall evaluate the local plans and advise the State Board as to whether the local plans comply with the requirements of the State school technology plan.
(b)	After a local school technology plan is approved by the State Board of Education, the local board of education may use funds in the State School Technology Fund that are allocated to the local school administrative unit to implement the plan.
"§ 115C-102.6D.  Establishment of the State School Technology Fund; allocation and use of funds.
(a)	There is established under the control and direction of the State Board of Education the State School Technology Fund.  This fund shall be a nonreverting special revenue fund consisting of any monies appropriated to it by the General Assembly.
(b)	Funds in the State School Technology Fund shall be allocated to local school administrative units as directed by the General Assembly.  Funds allocated to each local school administrative unit shall be credited with interest by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-69.2 and G.S. 147-69.3.
(c)	Each local school administrative unit with a local school technology plan approved by the State Board of Education may use funds allocated to it to implement its local plan or as otherwise specified by the General Assembly."
Sec. 4.  G.S. 115C-102.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-102.7.  Monitoring and evaluation of State and local school technology plans; reports.
(a)	The Commission shall monitor and evaluate the development and implementation of the State and local school technology plans.  The evaluation shall consider the effects of technology on student learning, the effects of technology on students' workforce readiness, the effects of technology on teacher productivity, and the cost-effectiveness of the technology.  The Commission shall report in October of each year to the State Board of Education, the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the development and the implementation of State and local school technology plans.   (a1) The Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee may meet jointly to consider reports from the Commission on School Technology and they may appoint subcommittees to jointly consider the reports.
(b)	The Commission shall provide notice of meetings, copies of minutes, and periodic briefings to the chair of the Information Resources Management Commission and the chair of the Technical Committee of the Information Resources Management Commission."
Sec. 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Commission on School Technology the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to complete the development of the State school technology plan, to develop a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the State and local school technology plans, and to otherwise carry out the duties of the Commission.
Sec. 6.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State School Technology Fund the sum of seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year.   Before a local school technology plan is approved by the State Board of Education, a local board of education may use up to ten percent (10%) of the funds allocated to it from the fund to develop its local school technology plan or, to the extent that these funds are not needed to develop the local school technology plan, for staff development to improve the use of instructional technology.  After a local school technology plan is approved by the State Board of Education, a local board of education may use the remainder of these funds for nonrecurring expenses to implement its local school technology plan, including staff development, hardware, software, and maintenance contracts.
Two or more local school administrative units may jointly expend funds to develop their individual local school technology plans, for staff development, or to implement their individual local school technology plans.
Sec. 7.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective June 30, 1994.  G.S. 115C-102.6B, which is enacted in Section 3 of this act, becomes effective November 1, 1994.  The remainder of this act becomes effective July 1, 1994.