| Arkansas |
| PUC Approval of E-Rate Discounts | The Arkansas Public Service Commission adopted the FCC discount matrix on July 30, 1997. |
| State Agency That Approves School Technology Plans | - The Arkansas Department of Education's (SDE) Education Information and Technology Division (EITD). For assistance, call EITD's Charles A. Watson at 501/682-4474.
- A training session was held Nov. 6, 1997, for SDE field representatives and technology coordinators, who will train district educators in technology planning. An outline of each school district's technology plan based on an inventory was due to EITD by Dec. 1, 1997.
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| State Agencies Handling School E-Rate Training | - The SDE will take the lead, with aid from EITD and the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN).
- No intensive training until the FCC released official forms. E-rate info sheets were sent to schools in September 1997.
- Training was held Nov. 6, 1997, for SDE field representatives, technology specialists from regional education co-operatives, and district technology coordinators.
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| State Offers Funding for Technology Not Covered by E-Rate | - Network access is provided free to schools by APSCN, Arkansas' K-12 backbone network.
- Grants of $60 thousand are provided to groups of 35-40 Arkansas school districts each year for one of four sets of learning technology equipment through Project IMPAC.
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| For More Information and E-Rate Assistance | - Visit APSCN's website and the SDE's website under Educational Resources.
- Call SDE field reps or the regional education co-operatives for help with technology plan development and technology inventory-taking.
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| Louisiana |
| PUC Approval of E-Rate Discounts | The Louisiana Public Service Commission ordered discounts identical to the federal matrix on Aug. 18, 1997. |
| State Agency That Approves School Technology Plans | - The Louisiana Department of Education's Louisiana Center for Educational Technology (LCET), a new unit.
- LCET will approve plans written for Louisiana Technology Literacy Fund grants; these plans can be used in E-rate applications.
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| State Agencies Handling School E-Rate Training | - LCET is developing training materials, to be posted on its website. The materials were not available as of Dec. 5, 1997.
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| State Offers Funding for Technology Not Covered by E-Rate | - $37.1 million Classroom-Based Technology Fund for computer hardware and software and other one-time expenses.
- $5.3 million Technology Literacy Challenge Fund for teacher training only.
- Info and applications for both programs are published at the Louisiana Challenge website.
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| For More Information and E-Rate Assistance | - Call LCET's help desk at 504/763-5575.
- Call the Louisiana Public Broadcasting help desk at 504/767-4295.
- For an overview of Louisiana's state technology plan, visit the Louisiana Technology Initiative website.
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| New Mexico |
| PUC Approval of E-Rate Discounts | The New Mexico Corporation Commission adopted discounts identical to the federal discounts effective July 1, 1997. |
| State Agency That Approves School Technology Plans | The Educational Technology and Data Management unit (ETDM) of the New Mexico Department of Education had approved the technology plans of every school district in New Mexico by Oct. 22, 1997. |
| State Agencies Handling School E-Rate Training | New Mexico has been assertive in preparing campus and school district personnel to use technology. ETDM held an E-rate training program for superintendents, principals, curriculum coordinators, and technology coordinators Sept. 24-26,1997. |
| State Offers Funding for Technology Not Covered by E-Rate | - $4.4 million ($12.55 per pupil) in 1997-98 for schools and districts to implement local technology plans.
- $1.67 for New Mexico Technology Literacy Challenge grants based on goals established in local districts tech plans first. State and federal educational technology goals were also considered but local decision-making took precedence over other goals.
- View New Mexico's strategic plan for integrating technology into education at the New Mexico Council on Technology in Education website. (Web site no longer available: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/EdTech/ - 4/2012)
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| For More Information and E-Rate Assistance | - Call the local district technology coordinator, who received E-rate training.
- Call ETDM for ongoing assistance at 505/827-7354, or Mary Saxton, E-rate specialist, at 505/827-6529.
- New Mexico's technology policy focuses on helping educators make decisions at the local level. Districts are given info and the authority to spend dollars based on local student needs.
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| Oklahoma |
| PUC Approval of E-Rate Discounts | The Oklahoma Corporation Commission matched and surpassed the federal discounts with Special Universal Services for schools in July 30, 1997. |
| State Agency That Approves School Technology Plans | The Oklahoma State Department of Education will approve plans with assistance of the Oklahoma Technology Administrators. OTA, a group of 300 educators and ed tech specialists, will serve as technology plan readers. |
| State Agencies Handling School E-Rate Training | - After the FCC releases the final E-rate application form, two statewide training sessions for superintendents will be held.
- OTA will hold regional workshops to help schools write technology plans.
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| State Offers Funding for Technology Not Covered by E-Rate | - $5 million in Oklahoma Technology Literacy Challenge grants for multimedia computers, software, and teacher training.
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| For More Information and E-Rate Assistance | - Call the Instructional Technology unit of the SDE at 405/521-3994
- Visit the SDE website for E-rate info and application materials.
- Visit the OTA website for E-rate info and links to E-rate sites.
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| Texas |
| PUC Approval of E-Rate Discounts | The Texas Public Service Commission approved discounts consistent with the FCC discounts October 1, 1997. |
| State Agency That Approves School Technology Plans | The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has developed a technology plan approval process and will offer plan certification at the TEA E-rate website. |
| State Agencies Handling School E-Rate Training | - The TEA and perhaps other state agencies will offer E-rate training.
- E-rate info packets were sent to Texas superintendents in October 1997.
- Training videos on technology planning and preparing applications have been stocked at each of the 20 Regional Education Service Centers (RESCs). Contact information for many education-related sites is available at from the Texas Education Directory posted at the ASK TED website.
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| State Offers Funding for Technology Not Covered by E-Rate | - The Texas Technology Allotment provides $30 per student for electronic textbooks or equipment that contributes to student learning.
- Other FY97 grants focus on teacher training support. Visit the TEA Instructional Technology Division (ITD) website for information on about:
- Texas Technology Literacy Challenge Fund and the Technology Integration in Education (TIE) initiative - For computers and teacher training.
- Projects for Educational Technology (PETs) - For planning and implementing new programs
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| For More Information and E-Rate Assistance | - A training session was offered on Nov. 13, 1997, over the T-STAR satellite network, available in every TX school district and at all RESCs.
- The TEA E-rate website lists the discount levels for each Texas campus and district, searchable by the six-digit County/District Numbers.
- For info on grants and other TEA programs, visit the TEA ITD website.
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| Many state government officials provided information appearing here. From Arkansas: Michael R. Hipp, Cecil McDermott, Brinton Ramoly, Charles A. Watson; Louisiana: Jackie Rombardo, Carol Whelan; New Mexico: Marc A. Martinez, Ruth Pino, Kurt Steinhaus; Oklahoma: Phil Applegate, Josh O'Brien, Larry A. Schroeder; Texas: Leslie Kjellstrand, Robert Young. Information was collected from these sources through October 24, 1997 and was last updated in December 1997. - Mimi Mayer |
