The Broadband Imperative:Recommendations to Address

K-12 Education Infrastructure Needs

May 21, 2012National Press Club

Washington, DC

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Join the dialogue online – asking questions and making comments – by using the hashtag: #k12broadband

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State Educational Technology Directors Association

• Ten-year old national, non-profit member association

• Serve, support, and represent U.S. state and territorial directors (SEA leadership) for educational technology

• Forum for:• Research and best practices • Inter-state collaboration• Professional development• Public-private partnerships• State-federal relations

Broadband in Education

• Broadband is infrastructure for learning

• Access required in and out-of-school for students and educators

• Remains an urgent and national issue facing K-12 education

Factors Driving Need for Broadband

• Shift from supplemental enrichment to a technology-rich learning environment and reliance on technology for school operations

• Dozens of bandwidth intensive instructional activities driving need – at all levels of K-12 education

• Large numbers of concurrent users with shift to digital textbooks/content and online assessment will drive near-term needs

A Federal Perspective

• Barbara Pryor, Office of Senator Rockefeller (WV)

The Broadband Imperative:State and Local Perspectives

• Christine Fox, SETDA• Jeff Mao, Maine Department of Education• John Miller, West Virginia Department of

Education• Andrew Zuckerman, Lawrence Township

Public Schools (NJ)• Discussants: Karen Cator, U.S. Department of

Education & Peter Zamora, Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)

The Broadband Imperative

Christine Fox, Director of Educational Leadership & Research, SETDA

The Broadband Imperative:A Unique Collaboration

• 2011 SETDA Leadership Summit Topic Session

• Research & Drafting

• Online Collaboration

• Webinars

• Reviewers

Shifting to Technology-Rich Learning

Basic Connectivity for Supplemental

Enrichment

Emerging Reliance on Online Tools and

Resources

Transformation to a Technology-

Rich Learning Environment

Move to Address K-12 Broadband Infrastructure Needs

Recommendation 1

Ensure Broadband Access for Students and Educators

• Federal, state and local governments all need to take responsibility for ensuring educational access outside of school.

• Out-of-school access includes (but not limited to) homes, libraries and community centers.

Recommendation 2

Build State Leadership

• States should provide direct leadership in providing adequate and equitable broadband to K-12 schools, homes, and publicly accessible institutions.

• State broadband networks offer a cost-effective, scalable approach.

Recommendation 3

Advocate for Federal Funding

Increase funding options to support:• States in implementing and maintaining high-

speed broadband statewide networks;• Districts and schools by helping to increasing

bandwidth capacity;• Communities by helping providing access to

anchor institutions; and,• Home broadband access to low-income families.

Recommendation 4

State Perspective: Maine

Jeff Mao, Learning Technology Policy Director Maine Department of Education

As Maine Goes, so Goes the Nation

“In Maine we are moving to a learner-centered system. Technology and broadband are key to giving students the power to take control of their own learning, and to engage frequently and instantly with learning tools across town and around the world. It’s why the Maine Learning Technology Initiative made high speed internet at all public schools a requirement and what has kept us a leader in the business of leveraging technology for education.”

- Stephen L. Bowen, Commissioner of Education

Distance is Measured in Bandwidth

• Maine’s population is equivalent to New York City in the 1860s (1.3 Million)

• Maine is about the size of South Korea or Portugal

Maine School & Library Network (MSLN)

• Operated by NetworkMaine, a consortia of the Department of Education, State Library, Office of Information Technology, and the University of Maine system

• Funded by E-Rate & Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund

• Broadband for all K12 schools and public libraries

MSLN Transport Capacity

1996 2000 2004 2008 20120

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mbps

Mbps

Maine’s One to One Growth

2001 2005 2009 20130

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

K12 StudentsStudents w/Devices

Why it Matters to Maine…

• Common Core State Standards

• Next Generation Science Standards

• Shared standards and shared solutions

• Increased collaboration and capacity

State Perspective: West Virginia

John Miller, Assistant Director, Office of Instructional Technology, West Virginia Department of Education

WV Broadband Implementation

All schools connected to Internet in 1993• Slow connections – mostly used for communications,

viewing documents – one way

Statewide K12 intranet – centralized control• Minimum of 10M connection – Some barriers still exist• Many schools have 100M or 1G connections now• 10G connection to Internet• Capabilities include streaming media, two-way

communications & collaborations, virtual courses, personalized instruction

Equal Access for All Students

• Equal opportunities for all students• Barriers to equitable access• Rural mountainous communities not well

connected• Socio-economic barriers

• Ranked 45th in US for home broadband access• 59% of homes connected

Technology Integration Specialist (TIS) teachertraining program

• Provides educators with skills and tools necessary to assume the role of TIS.

• Participants receive the equivalent of 320 hours of PD.• Completers earn TIS advanced credential

Technology Integration in WV Schools

Online Learning

TechSteps

• Digital literacy• Technology fluency• Cyber-safety Awareness

1:1 Implementations

• Several districts have fully or partially implemented 1:1 computing

• Success depends more on teacher training than equipment

• Preparation and support are critical

Framed around 8 variables that impact student achievement1. Students: the WHO of SPL

2. Instruction: the WHAT of SPL

3. Location: the WHERE of SPL

4. Assessment: the WHY of SPL

5. Time: the WHEN of SPL

6. Personnel: the BY WHOM of SPL

7. Group Size: the HOW of SPL

8. Documentation: the NOW WHAT of SPL

√ These 8 things within our scope of control must be maximized to meet the needs of individual students and personalize learning for all.

Support for Personalized Learning

Future of Broadband in WV

• Personalized learning landscape

• Online adaptive assessments

• Expansion of virtual courses / credit recovery

• Blended content

• SETDA guidance and state collaboration are crucial for state success

• Continued E-Rate funding essential for schools• Support for broadband initiatives and digital literacy

imperative

WV – Final Thoughts

District Perspective: New Jersey

Andrew Zuckerman, Director of Instructional Services, Lawrence Township (NJ) Public Schools

Lawrence Township Public Schools

State Talent 21 Grant • 1-to-1 Program • Foundation & Continued Growth

• Critical Elements of Implementation• Professional Development• Increased Broadband Access• Increased Wireless bandwidth (54 to 144 Mbps)• Upgraded Switches (1GB to access points and 10GB

to the schools)

Traditional Methods of Communication

Traditional School

Early Broadband Needs

Access to Information• Download files• Single Communication Stream

Our Students

Inconsistencies

Lack of Network Capabilities• Frustration• Loss of Instruction Time• 20th Century Learning for 21st Century Students

Accessibility

High speed broadband and allows teachers and students to: • Expand Learning Opportunities• Connect Globally

ProfessionalsStudents around the world

• Utilize Online Textbooks• Unlimited Resources

Video StreamingMaterialsInstructional Supports

Social Media

Importance to Schools/Districts

• Recommendations for Future Planning• Point of Contact to Enhance Collaborate with

Other Educators• Importance of Equal Access (students, schools

and districts)

Future Needs

“…global Internet traffic will quadruple by 2015, and in the next five years, mobile broadband usage will be 35 times what it is now.”

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)

• LTPS Fiber Project

Discussants: The Broadband Imperative

• Karen Cator, Director of the Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education

• Peter Zamora, Director of Federal Relations, Council of Chief State School Officers

Questions?

Join the dialogue online – asking questions and making comments – by using the hashtag:

#k12broadband

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The Broadband Imperative:Recommendations to Address

K-12 Education Infrastructure Needs

May 21, 2012National Press Club

Washington, DC