WNDLC

Western Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium

Advisory Council

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Via DL (ESU-Sidney, ESU-Scottsbluff, Bridgeport High School, Chadron State College (Miller 309)

AGENDA

1.    Call to Order & Roll Call - Members Present: Larry Ross-Alliance, Lana Sides-Banner County, Allen Gross-Bayard, Randy Butcher-Bridgeport, Paul Calvert-Creek Valley, Merrell Nelsen-Crawford, Lew Gellett-Garden County, Melanie Kreider-Gering, Ernie Griffiths-Hay Springs, Casper Ningen-Hemingford, Kelly Tofflemire-Kimball, Chuck Bunner-Minatare, Kent Halley & Glen Eberspecher-Mitchell, Kevin Thomas-Potter-Dix, Bill Porter-Sioux County, B.J. Peters-WNDLC Coordinator, Jim Copley-PANESU Coordinator. Members Absent: Chadron, Gordon, Morrill, Rushville, Scottsbluff, ESU #13

2.    2005-2006 Distance Learning Schedule - B.J. walked the group through the proposed distance learning schedule for next year pointing out where there are still openings in various classes. He commended the principals and counselors for their work over the past couple of months who have helped to put together what Peters noted is the most aggressive DL schedule yet for WNDLC. He encouraged the several schools that are now on a block schedule to continue discussions on sharing of classes.

3.    Teacher Compensation - Because there are several new superintendents in WNDLC member schools, B.J. reviewed the resolution that was passed last May by the superintendents on DL teacher compensation. The motion passed pays WNDLC teachers a stipend of $300 a semester, this would be divided equally among the individual schools receiving each particular class. This does not apply to classes where districts are sharing a teacher's salary. B.J. indicated some problems have occurred with the process after the first semester with having the payments run through ESU #13. It slows the process down by at least a couple of months because payments need to be approved by individual school boards and by the ESU #13 board. B.J. suggested that the ESU will still send out bills but that he will instruct the schools send payment directly to the originating teacher's home district. It was also suggested that in order for B.J. to keep track of payments, schools should send B.J. a copy of the payment sent in. Spring semester bills should be coming soon.

4.    Membership Annual Assessment & Upgrade Assessment - B.J. also reviewed the decision last year to up the annual assessment to each member school district to the maximum allowed rate of $4,000 for the 2004-2005 school year. B.J. said the expected upgrade of all the state's JPEG DL sites is still coming and he believes the need for some local funding resources remains. At this time WNDLC has in reserve approximately $60,000 from a one-time Nebraska ETV grant. We also have $32,000 in funds generated from one-time membership fees from new schools entering the consortium over the past five years. This fund has been used up to this time for equipment maintenance. This year $1,300 has been spent for repairs to various pieces of equipment. This year the $4,000 assessment is expected to bring in around $15,000 in reserve funds, but the upcoming year will see two less paying members with the merger of ESU 13 & 14 and the expected merger of Rushville and Gordon. The expected return of $4,000 times 21 members will only add an estimated $4000 to reserve. The consensus of the group was that it is important to continue to grow the consortium's reserve over the next few years rather than face a huge one-time expense down the road when our system is upgraded. We are limited at this time because of the language of our by-laws and interlocal agreement. The group is willing to change the language to allow for a higher assessment but wants to make sure that it is covered by an interlocal agreement. B.J. was asked to research language of other DL consortiums and come up with possible figures on what might be needed on an annual basis. He will pull the group together in mid-June to possibly vote on changes to the interlocal agreement.

6.    2005-2006 WNDLC Budget - B.J. presented the proposed budget for 2005-2006 for WNDLC. It was noted that WNDLC has been under budget for the past five years and it was asked if that helped add to the reserve. It has not because up to this year school districts were billed only on expenses incurred. It was moved by Garden County, seconded by Creek Valley to approve the 2005-2006 WNDLC budget as proposed but that the amount of the annual assessment to be tabled to the June Meeting. The vote was 15-yes, 0-no; motion passed.

7.    LB689 Update - B.J. presented the group an update on LB689. There were three handouts distributed.

LB 689A provides $10,000 to support the work of the Distance Education Enhancement Task Force from June to December, 2005. As fast as technology applications are converging, the Task Force will likely discuss more than just the role that distance education plays in the teaching and learning process. 

1. Beginning in the summer of 2006 (60 sites) and continuing through 2009, approximately 180 K-12 schools and their higher education partners reach termination of existing Commercial Video Data Service contracts involving JPEG-series videoconferencing. The industry no longer supports nor manufactures this technology and upgrades must be installed to continue distance education courses and services for these schools.
2. Appropriating the July 2006 funding in the first session of the 99^th Legislature allows the lengthy pre-project planning process to begin in late 2005, as guided by the recommendations of the December 31, 2005 report of the Distance Education Enhancement Task Force. This will greatly increase the chances that the telecommunications providers will be able to complete the Phase 1 implementation in time for the affected schools to begin classes by August 15, 2006.
3. The capital investment to complete the upgrade will also assist in the retrofit and re-pricing of the high bandwidth circuits for new seven-year contracts that allow the education entities full control of the types of technology applications and the associated qualities of service. Failure to allocate the necessary funding for technology upgrades could cause schools to reduce their bandwidth by 90%.

The bill originally had $10 million a year for three years to be used for the upgrade but after debate all the money was taken out. If passed, a 16 member task force will be appointed to study the need for an upgrade, examine funding options, and recommend a timeline. B.J. indicated that the upgrade will give our system more flexibility giving us access to many more DL sites within and outside the Panhandle region. The upgrade will also give schools more bandwidth to expand online opportunities and strengthen their Internet access. Following is what the task force is charged with....

The plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) The development of a high capacity, scalable telecommunications infrastructure;

(2) The development of an Internet protocol-based network to interconnect all existing and future distance education and videoconferencing facilities;

(3) Upgrades of current telecommunications equipment;

(4) Training and support programs for educators in the development and use of distance learning;

(5) The transfer of distance education coordination responsibilities from distance education consortia to educational service units on or before July 1, 2007;

(6) Statewide coordination for distance education offerings;

(7) Potential funding sources;

(8) The establishment of an equitable and affordable financing system for both equipment and usage;

(9) The establishment of a system that allows school districts to purchase quality distance education offerings from other school districts either directly or with educational service units acting as fiscal agents;

(10) Statewide provision of other technology-based services.

8.    E-Rate Update - B.J. and Jim Copley presented a handout from ESU #2 who just went through on onsite audit on erate. Jim detailed for the group what they needed to make sure they had on file. E-Rate records need to be retained for five years. Following are some of the items covered by the audit...

• CIPA compliance – schools must address 5 issues in their internet safety plan.  Of the 10 schools randomly selected, only 4 had all 5 components specifically addressed.   Review internet safety plans of ALL schools in your ESU to make sure their plans are up to par.  (Several of the schools failed to identify the prevention of hacking by students in their schools or that student information would not be disseminated through the use of the internet.)  The issue for us was that most of our schools address the privacy issue in their standard policy.  This is not good enough; the issue must be included in the internet safety plan.
• Technology Plan Certification – Several of our schools had a difficult time finding the copy of the e-mail that was sent by the Department of Education that certified their technology plan.  The certification date must be PRIOR to the filing of the 470 for that funding year.  This will mean that ESUs should request a hard copy of the e-mail certification from each school. 
• Verification of NSLP data – They wanted to see the documentation used to support the discount calculation.  With the web based 471 application system currently available, the worksheet does not automatically print.  Even with this worksheet, they still wanted verification of data.  The state web site with the data was no longer active.  We had to notify each school and ask for a copy of their fall membership report data to provide the verification.  I suggest you ask for a copy of this documentation to archive for five years in case of audit.
• Letter of Agency – Be advised that the letter of agency for all consortiums has changed.  You must identify what funding year the letter will serve, exactly what services will be sought, and the date of the LOA must be dated BEFORE the filing of the 470. 
• Form 500 – While this requirement was not mandatory in 2002, it is now mandatory that any unused funds for each FRN be released through the filing of form 500.  Please advise all of your schools and consortiums to file form 500 for this past funding year and from this point forward. 
• Administrative Buildings – If you have schools with separate administrative buildings, they MUST be included in the discount calculations worksheet.  You will simply enter 0 for the student enrollment.  This includes ESU locations as well.  While the ESU files as a consortium, you must include the ESU as a billed entity in the consortium and enter 0 for your student count. 

Jim indicated that he would follow-up with send out information that schools could follow to stay in compliance with erate rules.

9.    Technology Planning Workshop - B.J. shared again with the group information about the Technology Planning workshop that ESU #13 will be hosting on July 28 & 29. Schools are encouraged to send teams to the workshop to help the district develop tech plans that are integrated into the schools overall improvement plan. Stipends are available to team members. Below details what will be covered at the July workshop....

This projectwill support ESU 13 member schools in the process of creating and implementing a:

v     Comprehensive technology plan that is integrated with the School Improvement Plan

v     Plan to identify the core technology skills that all teachers should have, and design a professional development plan to provide required training

v     K-12 technology curriculum; identifying the technology skills, by grade level, that students should acquire, identify staff members responsible for teaching the skills, and how to integrate these skills in all content areas

v     The “Learning Team” model, that has proven to be very effective in the standards and assessment process, will be used to create technology related activities tied to subject area learning objectives

v     Create tools to measure the impact of technology on academic achievement of all students

Schools should contact B.J. before school is out who they are sending to the workshop.

10.    WNDLC Executive Council - B.J. noted that the WNDLC Executive Council only had to meet once this past year and this years officers have been in place for only one year and typically serve a two year term. It was moved by Hay Springs, seconded by Hemingford to retain the same officers for the 2005-2006 school year.

Meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.