Table of Contents

Wyoming Technology in Education Panel

Vision

Executive Summary

Introduction

Background

Structure of Wyoming's Education System

Supreme Court Case and Legislation

Key State Technology Developments

Grassroots Effort

Federal Education Programs

Goals 2000--Technology in Education Panel

Telecommunications Council

Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology

The Wyoming State Leased Network

Universal Service Fund

Technology in Education for Wyoming

Outlook

Planning and Development Process

Implementation

Evaluation

Regional Service Centers

Funding Issues and Strategies

The Goal

Objectives and Strategies:   How can we reach our goal?

Appendices

Technology in Education Panel - A

Community College Service Districts Map - B

Technology in Education Panel Sub-committees - C

Wyoming House Enrolled Act 25 text - D

Wyoming House Enrolled Act 48 text - E

Wyoming Network Connectivity Map - F

Diagram of State Plan Strategic Process - G

Technology Plan Scoring Matrix - H

Compiled Activities Timeline - I

List of Tables

Table 1.  Construction of Computer Stations

Table 2.  Suggested Resources for K-12 and Post-Secondary Education Learning Environments

Table 3.  Technological Needs and Corresponding Activities

Table 4.  Current Status and Upcoming Changes for the TIE Panel

Table 5.  Costs of Technology

Table 6.  Overall Costs of Implementing Technology in Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Education

State Superintendent: Judy Catchpole
Phone: (307) 777-7675
Fax: (307) 777-6234
E-mail: jcatch@educ.state.wy.us

Technology Contact: Linda Carter
Phone: (307) 777-6252
Fax: (307) 777-6234
E-mail: lcarter@educ.state.wy.us

Cover art by: Pame Hickman, Wyoming Department of Education

The Wyoming Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its educational programs or activities. Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be referred to the Wyoming Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights Coordinator, 2nd floor, Hathaway Building, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82002-0050 or (307) 777-6198, or the Office for Civil Rights, Region VIII, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Building, Suite 310, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Denver, CO 80204-3582, or (303) 844-5695 or TDD (303) 844-3417. This publication will be provided in an alternative format upon request.

Vision Statement

The people of Wyoming will work together to guarantee equal access to and availability of technologies that achieve improved learning and higher quality of life for all citizens.

The Technology in Education Panel respectfully submits this Wyoming Educational Technology Plan with optimism for the future of Wyoming's citizens. The Panel represents a broad spectrum of Wyoming's educational entities, including: teachers, school boards, communities, libraries, state agencies, businesses, and citizens. This Panel has devoted over a year to gathering information pertaining to educational technology from numerous broad-based resources. The purpose of this exhaustive data collection effort was to clearly identify all options available to Wyoming as it went about developing a comprehensive statewide plan for schools to access and effectively utilize educational technology.

The Wyoming Educational Technology Plan represents a culmination of this Panel's work. As such the plan is organized into several sections. First, a brief overview of the structure of the educational system in Wyoming is provided. Included in this background section is a description of the context within which this educational system is currently operating following a recent Supreme Court case and other legislative actions. Concluding this background section is a summary of key developments and efforts pertaining to educational technology which are currently underway in Wyoming. Such efforts have come in the form of: grassroots efforts, federal programs, Goals 2000, the Telecommunications Council, Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology, the Wyoming State Leased Network, and the Universal Service Fund.

The remainder of this document focuses on the future vision for technology in education in Wyoming. Specifically, this Wyoming Educational Technology Plan identifies technology needs, defines infrastructure requirements, articulates goals for educational technology in Wyoming schools and discusses the strategies that the Panel has identified as necessary for achieving these goals.

It is our belief that such a comprehensive, statewide plan is critical to the development of learners of all ages who are capable of creatively, effectively, and efficiently utilizing information technology tools. Developing these skills in our citizens will accelerate Wyoming's economic growth, expand opportunities for our best students to remain in this great state, and improve the quality of life for all of our citizens.

Wyoming's educational entities -- the University of Wyoming, Community College System, Department of Education, and the school districts -- have adopted a cooperative approach to achieving this new paradigm for learning. This cooperative spirit and interdependence will allow for a pooling of resources that will efficiently enable Wyoming's schools and classrooms to be equipped with the best possible information tools. Such tools will electronically link our classrooms to information resources worldwide. A premise upon which this Plan rests is the belief that Wyoming schools should be the forerunners in bringing the information age to all citizens of Wyoming. Our classrooms should become the centers for connected learning communities accessible to all Wyoming citizens.

In addition, an underlying assumption of this Plan is the view that merely teaching people to make use of technological tools is not enough. Rather, we must empower educators to weave information technologies into the fabric of a robust and creative curriculum. To achieve this requires that we adopt systematic professional development strategies and that we acknowledge the fact that educators cannot be transformed without adequate time and training to develop the required skills and perspectives. We must commit to developing teachers who are as comfortable with technological learning tools as they are with books and chalkboards.

In order to: 1) assure a high level of collaboration between educational entities; 2) guarantee access to information technology on a statewide basis; and 3) integrate such technology into our teaching and learning, the following strategies are recommended:

• establish regional information technology centers based on the existing community college service areas. Such centers could facilitate collaborative ventures between Wyoming's educational entities, businesses, and communities as well as access expertise and pool resources between these entities;
• utilize the technological expertise which exists within the Community College System and the University in order to facilitate the transformation to new learning environments;
• rely on K-12 educators who have already developed expertise in creating constructive learning environments that integrate technological tools into the curriculum. These educators could serve as regional and local resources for other teachers by assisting them with curriculum planning and sharing effective practices utilizing technology.
• strengthen the cooperative, interdependent relationships among educational entities. Such relationships contribute to the synergistic effects of technology among educational entities and helps assure that different settings are not working at cross purposes with one another.
• establish regular and timely communication channels across the different educational entities in order to: 1) take advantage of economies of scale; 2) reduce duplication of efforts; and 3) provide a channel for replication of best practices;
• coordinate professional development and curricular improvement within and among the regional centers;
• coordinate community access to information technology training and services;
• prioritize federal funding;
• identify high poverty districts with high technology needs in order to address the issue of equal access to educational technology across socioeconomic and regional boundaries.

The Wyoming Educational Technology Plan is designed to address more than the technical issues of planning, designing, and implementing technology in our educational institutions. It defines the direction for the use of technology for Wyoming's educational system. This plan is also intended to help educators develop an understanding of the issues related to statewide technology planning and implementation.

Technology is changing the face of education in our nation. It is important to realize that such technology creates both educational opportunities and challenges for Wyoming citizens. Technology cannot be viewed as a panacea to the educational system, rather, it should be viewed as a means to an end. That is, in order to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum, the focus must first be on the individual learner and their needs. Once these needs have been identified, curriculum and technology can follow. The positive benefits of technology will be realized so long as the focus remains on technology as a tool for learning.

Planning is absolutely essential to maximizing the positive benefits which can be derived from educational technology. The process of planning necessitates that goals be articulated and clearly specifies why a given technology would be the wisest and best choice to help achieve such goals. Again, it is important to keep the end in mind when selecting the means.

Moreover, technology planning, implementation and evaluation does not occur in separate, discrete stages. Rather, such activities are ongoing and may often occur simultaneously. Feedback obtained during implementation, and/or from preliminary evaluation results, will often require that technology plans be revised. Since technology planning efforts are never finished, there will always be opportunities to improve and strengthen the plan. This Wyoming Educational Technology Plan represents a launching point from which such ongoing efforts can proceed.

When looking at the state's education initiatives, a basic understanding of the K-12 and post-secondary governance structures is essential. This section will focus on the structure of the educational system, the Wyoming Supreme Court decision in "Campbell County School District, et al., vs. State of Wyoming, et. al.", and key technological developments currently underway in Wyoming.

Structure of Wyoming's Education System

Wyoming, with its 98,000 square miles, is the ninth largest state in area. With fewer than 500,000 citizens, however, Wyoming ranks lowest in population. This sparse population spread across great distances creates unique challenges for education in Wyoming.

Wyoming's educational system encompasses 48 school districts, a Community College System comprised of seven community colleges, and one university. There are three state boards and 55 local boards of education.

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) and the State Board of Education (SBE) oversee the K-12 educational system in Wyoming. The WDE is headed by a State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is one of five elected state officials. The Superintendent serves as an ex officio member of the SBE -- a governor appointed body for which the Deputy Superintendent also serves as a liaison. Responsibilities of the State Board of Education that relate to this Wyoming Educational Technology Plan include the following:

• prescribing minimum standards for public schools;
• conducting investigations regarding educational needs and means of improving conditions to ensure an adequate educational system;
• reporting findings to the legislature;
• directing the WDE to maintain uniform cost accounting procedures; and
• reporting district income and disbursement.

Each of the 48 school districts are governed by local boards of education comprised of locally elected trustees. These boards are assigned powers and duties and set policies for the management and operation of their individual school districts.

The Wyoming Community College System consists of the Community College Commission and seven colleges. The Community College Commission has seven members appointed by the Governor. The Governor and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction also serve as non-voting members on this Commission. Statute requires the Commission to "promulgate and adopt rules and regulations that ensure the operation and maintenance of the community college system in a coordinated, efficient, and effective manner." Specifically, responsibilities of the Commission include:

• reviewing and approving academic and vocational-technical programs;
• establishing an effective management information system;
• administering state support (appropriations) to the Community College System;
• setting tuition and residency requirements;
• approving capital construction requests;
• maintaining a common course numbering system for the Community College System and the University of Wyoming.

Each college is governed by a separate board of trustees. The seven locally elected boards of trustees are assigned specific powers and duties and set policies for the management and operation of their individual college districts. Community college districts are defined by service areas (see Appendix B for a map of community college districts).

In summary, there are several levels of governmental units responsible for the delivery of education to students in Wyoming, including: local school districts, the seven colleges of the Community College System, the University of Wyoming, State and Local Boards of Education, and the Wyoming Department of Education to name just a few. It is therefore imperative that educational movements, such as technology, be approached from a grassroots level and includes all educational sectors.

Supreme Court Case and Legislation

In November 1995, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled in Campbell County School District, et al., vs. State of Wyoming, et al., that the funding mechanism for K-12 education in Wyoming was unconstitutional because it did not provide opportunities for equitable education for all children attending Wyoming's K-12 public schools. The Court charged the Wyoming Legislature to resolve this inequitable situation by July, 1997.

The Legislature approached the Court's decision from two fronts. First, six joint committees were established, drawing upon the expertise of both houses of the Legislature. A Select Committee was named to oversee and coordinate the work of the other five committees. The tasks of the other committees were as follows:

• Joint Education Committee: To define "proper education".
• Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee: To establish a structure for the delivery of education.
• Joint Appropriations Committee: To create a system for identifying educational costs.
• Joint Revenue Committee: To establish a system to fund schools, including local optional mill levies.
• School Capital Construction Committee: To establish a system to provide for adequate capital facilities for schools.

In fulfilling their respective tasks, three of these committees specifically addressed issues related to technology in education (see Appendix C for more details), specifically:

• the Joint Education Committee defined the "basket of education" to be funded for school districts. The committee saw applied technology as part of the common core of knowledge and skills that all school districts must address in their performance standards.
• the School Capital Construction Committee saw a need to address technology as part of the standards for new construction. A work group designated to develop draft standards for capital construction suggested the following be adopted as standards in Rules and Regulations for Site Selection and School Construction For Wyoming Public School Buildings:

  All buildings shall be constructed to allow for the installation of technology infrastructure for use by all students, faculty, and staff. Infrastructure refers to connectivity issues and all necessary frameworks to implement technology. Infrastructure must meet industry standards such as:
  

  • EIA/TIA-568 Telecommunications Cabling Standard
  • EIA/TIA-569 Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunication Pathways and Spaces
  • TIA/EIA-607 Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding requirements for telecommunications.

Infrastructure is not to be installed at the time of the original construction. The capability to install these systems at a later date shall be provided by the use of empty conduits and cable trays as well as allocated space for head-end, file servers and other equipment.

This work group also suggested that the table below be used as guidelines for constructing computer stations in schools:

• The Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee saw the possibility of using current and emerging telecommunications technologies as a way of providing an equitable education to all students throughout Wyoming. Such telecommunications technology, while not inexpensive, could guarantee widespread access to high-quality, appropriate course offerings across both small and large school districts regardless of their geographic location.

The committee deliberations described above resulted in two laws being passed during the fifty-fourth legislative session. House Enrolled Act No. 25 and House Enrolled Act No. 48 were signed into law in February 1997 (see Appendices D & E for a complete text of the legislation). The content of these two laws consisted of the following:

• House Enrolled Act No. 25 (originally HB 048) directs the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to oversee the development and implementation of a statewide educational technology plan;
• House Enrolled Act No. 48 (originally HB 115) provides for: 1) the issuance of a Request for Proposal ("RFP") to implement technology in education, specifically, data transmission connectivity to every school building in the state by July 1, 1999; and 2) provide for interactive two-way video capability to each high school in the state by July 1, 2001.

Finally, concurrent with the work of the six legislative committees, a second action undertaken by the Legislature in response to the Supreme Court decision was to contract in July 1996 with Management Analysis & Planning Associates of California (MAP), an independent consulting firm to conduct a "Cost of Education" study for Wyoming. Results of this study were presented in February 1997 to the Legislature, public meetings discussing the results were conducted statewide in March, and subsequent revisions to the report were made in April 1997.

Key Technology Developments

In addition to technological initiatives taking place in the Legislature, several key developments pertaining to technology have occurred elsewhere in the state. At the local level, Wyoming has seen tremendous grassroots growth of technology and telecommunications throughout the state. Moreover, other state and federal activities which have also had an impact on the technology movement in Wyoming include: 1) the Federal Education Programs; 2) Goals 2000-Technology in Education Panel; 3) the Telecommunication Council; 4) the Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology document; 5) the Leased State Network; and 6) the Universal Service Fund ruling which is part of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The remainder of this section is devoted to describing each of these activities in further detail.

Grassroots Efforts

Wyoming's educational entities have been involved with technology for a number of years. Technology is being utilized in various sectors of the state in such areas as:

• classroom teaching techniques using technology;
• projects for local and regional connectivity;
• regional and state partnerships: and
• building community information networks.

These grassroots efforts have been funded through local means which include using state funds, federal funds, grants, and asking communities to support technology efforts through additional bonds/mill levies. Although local educational entities have proceeded on their own, there has been little leadership, coordination, and funding from the state in the area of educational technology. This technology plan is an initial effort to provide state guidance and support for all educational technology efforts.

Federal Education Programs

Federal funds, whether targeted specifically for technology or supportive of other educational goals, have been used for hardware, software, and professional development activities related to technology. Specifically, the federal programs through which educational technology efforts have been supported include the following:

• Title I: Helping disadvantaged children meet high standards;
• Title VI: Innovative Education Program Strategies;
• Carl Perkins Programs: Vocational;
• IDEA: Special Education;
• Goals 2000;
• Technology Literacy Challenge Fund

Primarily, the K-12 sector has access to the federal program funds listed above, however, the community college system does have access to Carl Perkins and Adult Basic Education funds. These educational entities have used such funds to support the purchase of hardware and software for both instructional and administrative purposes. Schools have also developed some or all of their Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs) using these funds.

Funds from several of the federal programs listed above have also been used to support staff development efforts pertaining to technology. In particular, the Title II Eisenhower Professional Development Program has enabled many professional development activities on topics pertaining to technology to occur.

Finally, specific Wyoming model projects for technology in education have been supported by:

• Title IV -- Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities:
  This program has supported the model desktop video conferencing program which operates using ISDN service. The program was initiated by the Northwest Regional Lab [NWRL] and has provided Wyoming the opportunity to utilize a desktop video system for meetings and for sharing documents at the state level. The state has installed a similar system at the Wyoming School for the Deaf.
• School-To-Work:
  This federal program has not only allowed districts to fund hardware, software, and staff development in the area of technology but has also helped to implement a partnership program with Microsoft.

Goals 2000--Technology in Education Panel

Initial development of a Wyoming Education Technology Plan began during the Fall of 1995. At this time, Governor Jim Geringer and State Superintendent Judy Catchpole made a decision to leverage Goals 2000 Federal Funds to improve Wyoming's educational technology. They appointed the Wyoming Technology in Education Panel to develop a state education technology plan and a grant process for allocating technology funds.

Although the effort is being facilitated at the state level, the development of the state education technology plan will keep intact Wyoming's unique ability to direct and manage such efforts at the local level across educational sectors. Developers of the state education technology plan promote the opportunity for equitable access to technology for all of our citizens. The payoff for the planning effort will be realized when consensus, support, and ultimately, funding are realities.

Consensus by Panel members on a number of areas have influenced the content, development, implementation, and evaluation of this plan. Specifically, the Wyoming Educational Technology Plan evolved out of the following precepts:

• All education technology plans will have objectives and strategies which will address partnerships, curriculum integration, staff development, infrastructure, and strategic planning;
• The Wyoming Education Technology Plan will address technology in education for all public educational entities. The plan will be based on needs of the K-12 sector, Community College System, and the University of Wyoming;
• Wyoming will develop, implement, and evaluate the state education technology plan by establishing a tiered structure to include state, regional, and local technology planning and implementation efforts; and
• The Wyoming Education Technology Plan explicitly identifies the need for staff development and the need to integrate technology into the curriculum.

Telecommunications Council

In 1994, the legislature formed the Wyoming Telecommunications Council. The Council is appointed by the Governor and has been charged with the following duties:

• The Council shall develop goals and plans, both long range and short range, to meet the telecommunications needs of the state and its citizens in consultation with the affected public and appropriate state agencies, educational entities, private industry, and other entities.
• The Council shall inventory current telecommunications infrastructure, solicit comments and recommendations on needs, practices, and technologies for providing telecommunication services in the most efficient manner possible, accommodate economic growth and development in the state and enhance educational opportunities at all levels of instruction.

In January 1995, the Council presented a report to the legislature entitled "Bridling Expanse." This report encompasses the Council's first year activities and planning suggestions, including information on demographics, existing regulatory climate, and an inventory of existing public and private telecommunications facilities and projects. This report also identified the following factors as critical to the development of a successful technological infrastructure in Wyoming schools:

• It is important that platforms and systems be developed that provide transparent, non-proprietary connectivity among all educational institutions;
• Connectivity to the state, the nation and world is imperative.
• Connectivity should employ high-speed, broad bandwidth transmission of simultaneous, compressed or full-motion, interactive, digital audio, video, data communication, and multimedia computing;
• Educational needs can best be met by migrating to integrated, broad bandwidth services; and
• Configuration of any system needs to allow for point to point and multi-point delivery.

The Telecommunications Council also provided the legislature with specific recommendations for the state, including:

• All public schools should commit the resources and funds to enable connectivity for students and staff.
• The state legislature shall endeavor to provide funding to schools specifically for the purpose of digital connectivity.

Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology

Beginning in July 1995, the State of Wyoming, through the Department of Administration and Information (A&I), established a plan to improve the planning and coordination for the state's information technology requirements. One outcome of this effort was the presentation of a document entitled "Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology." This document provides a framework under which more specific plans, such as the Wyoming Education Technology Plan, may be developed and implemented.

The Wyoming's Strategic Direction for Information Technology document included recommendations to:

• view the business of state (government) as an enterprise;
• integrate government (enterprise) services through a statewide information resources infrastructure;
• enable sharing and interoperability of services through common frameworks and processes;
• envision an information technology architecture that embraces the future;
• provide quality services to the general public.

The Wyoming State Leased Network

Wyoming currently utilizes a network comprised of an array of leased lines and state-owned digital microwave, to provide access to meet data, voice, and video needs for government, law enforcement agencies, libraries, communities and schools. The bandwidth of this network is capable of handling the government data needs, including Internet connectivity, while allowing enough bandwidth for a compressed video network.

The University of Wyoming, Community College System, and several school districts are connected via the leased state network (see Appendix F for a map of state connectivity). One of the primary uses of the compressed video system is to deliver courses across the state -- primarily post-secondary courses from the University of Wyoming. In the past year, approximately 90 of these courses were delivered. Another use of the compressed video has been to conduct statewide meetings among different educational entities.

Video dial-up service through the use of a service termed "SwitchNet 56" or transmission on a dial-up basis at 56kbps is available throughout much of Wyoming. This leased network system offers distinct advantages to local school districts due to reduced costs and decreased facility needs (no dedicated facility is needed). "Frame Relay", another service available from the telecommunications provider, is also used for data connectivity.

As the state proceeds with the RFP process (described in the Supreme Court Case), the state's leased network will be a critical factor in establishing connectivity across all education buildings.

Universal Service Fund

Section 254(h) of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 specifically provides for discounted rates to elementary schools, secondary schools and libraries for educational purposes for services falling within the definition of universal service. Furthermore, the Federal Communications Commission is to establish competitively neutral rules "A. . . to enhance, to the extent technically feasible and economically reasonable, access to advanced telecommunications and information services for all public and non-profit elementary and secondary school classrooms. . . "

On May 8, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission released its Report and Order in CC Docket No. 96-45 providing the rules governing the universal service support to be provided to schools and libraries. The order adopts discounts from 20 to 90 percent for all telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections, with the level of discounts correlated to indicators of poverty and high cost for schools and libraries. The order also mandates that these supported universal services be provided pursuant to a competitive bidding process and requires certain accountability on the part of the schools and libraries. The total support nationwide for the schools and libraries universal service is capped at $2.25 billion annually, distributed generally on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additional details regarding the Federal Communications Commission's order regarding support for schools and libraries may be found in Section X of the May 8, 1997 decision in CC Docket No. 96-45.

The 21st century will require children to live, learn, and work in environments vastly different from the traditional classrooms they currently encounter. In order for students to be prepared for the demands of this new era, classrooms and schools need to reflect the changes in philosophy, teaching methods, environment, and equipment which are necessary for students to be competitive and productive in the information and communications age.

Imagine a home...
....where every parent regardless of native language or educational background can communicate readily with teachers about students' progress, improve parenting skills, and get an advanced degree or job training without leaving home or work.

Imagine a school...
.....where every student regardless of economic level, age, ethnicity, ability or disability can be immersed in the sights, sounds, and languages of other countries; visit museums; research the holdings of dispersed libraries; and explore the inner workings of cells from the inside out or the cold distance of outer space from inside a virtual space suit.

Imagine a district.....
......where every educator regardless of subject, experience, location, size or wealth can get hands-on training instantaneously -- when or where he/she needs it; interact with a virtual community of professional colleagues; and have access to student performance data as well as the analytical tools to use them effectively.

Imagine a state...
....where every community member regardless of where they live can visit the doctor for an examination and needed laboratory tests while at home or in the office; collaborate with work colleagues at distant sites; search out primary source materials and data on events halfway around the world; and take high school or college courses with fellow students from Meeteetse to Pine Bluffs.

The current educational environment is in a period of transition. The following trends are propelling the traditional educational system towards a learning environment infused with technology:

• Stand alone hardware is being connected to devices and systems within and outside specific buildings.
• Drill and practice approaches to teaching are being modified so that higher level thinking skills are emphasized. Integrating technologies across disciplines and educational systems reinforces such an emphasis.
• Communities and school boards are finding the need to provide training and support for all school personnel, with a special emphasis on teachers, to effectively utilize the technology tools of the information age to improve student learning.

Future classrooms must reflect everything we know about learning styles, instructional practices, and technology. The state, regions, and educational entities must develop plans and models which reflect the most current technological advances in education.

Expectations for a 21st Century Learning Environment

Infrastructure and professional development are the critical elements to producing a student body that is prepared to process, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and present information in the 21st century. Infrastructure provides the mechanism for accessing information and resources, professional development enables teachers to create a context in which such technology can be integrated into meaningful instructional experiences.

The Technology in Education Panel has begun to define how the Wyoming educational community can create such a learning environment. Resources needed are shown in Table 2:

The Technology in Education Panel recommends the following criteria to be followed by educational agencies who are setting up a technological learning environment:

Criteria for all educational entities:

• Classrooms and buildings will be connected via Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) to receive and send voice, video, and data information.
• All teachers/faculty will have a network-capable computer station.
• Staff development plans will include the opportunity to develop skills to utilize and integrate technology for student learning.

Criteria for the K-12 system:

• Classrooms will be networked to provide the capability to receive and send information through voice and data mechanisms.
• High schools will be networked to provide capability to receive and send information through voice, two-way interactive video, and data mechanisms.
• Network-capable and multimedia-capable computers will be available in the ratio of 1 computer for every 4 students.

Criteria for the post-secondary level:

• Institutions will provide network capability to receive and send information by voice, data, and video mechanisms in identified locations.
• Network-capable and multimedia-capable computers will be available in the ratio of 1 computer for every 10 students.
• Pre-service training for future teachers will develop skills to utilize and integrate technology for student learning.

The outlook section describes the key processes involved in the Wyoming Education Technology Plan. This section discusses issues associated with:

1. Planning and Development;
2. Implementation of the Plan;
3. Evaluation of the Education Technology Plan;
4. Regional Service Centers; and
5. Funding Strategies.

Planning and Development Process

The Technology in Education Panel has met approximately every three months since September 29, 1995, to develop the first Wyoming Education Technology Plan. The panel's strategic planning process included:

• Reviewing data and determining needs;
• Developing a vision;
• Establishing goals;
• Establishing objectives;
• Establishing strategies; and
• Determining an evaluation process for the state education technology plan.

The Panel has identified five key components which should be addressed by educational technology plans in Wyoming. These key components are:

Partnerships
Formalized partnerships are essential to the success of each community's plan. The plan will be based on the needs of each community of learners (businesses, community members, students, and government) served by the school districts, the Community College System, and the University of Wyoming.

Curriculum Integration
Strategies to integrate technology into the curriculum to support, expand, and improve student learning are essential to maximize the benefits associated with technology. We must maintain a focus on each individual learner and the educational process. It is what each learner does with technology that counts.

Staff Development
This component will have a tremendous impact on successful technology integration. Teachers must model effective application of technology for students to gain a competitive edge. Professional development requires time, resources, and commitment.

Information Infrastructure
Infrastructure can be viewed at two levels: 1) the statewide communication technology infrastructure; and 2) the infrastructure within classrooms, schools and district buildings. Specifically, the key to this component will deal with connectivity, hardware, software, implementation and maintenance issues. Assistance for local infrastructure development is an integral part of the Wyoming Education Technology Plan and will require a significant investment to install adequate information resources in all Wyoming classrooms.

Planning Process
Planning is essential to maximizing the potential benefits of educational technology. Technology planning is an ongoing effort, requiring commitment, cooperation, and coordination at the state, regional, and local levels. Rapid changes in available technologies make continuous assessment and adjustment of plans and implementation strategies important.

The process identified by the Technology in Education Panel for developing the Wyoming Education Technology Plan includes reviewing and synthesizing information from regional and individual educational entity plans into the state plan. The plan will evolve over the next three to five years through the strategic process (see Appendix G). It is estimated that the initial process will take approximately three years to complete.

This "bottom-up" process ensures that the Wyoming Educational Technology Plan will be representative of the entire Wyoming educational system -- with a particular emphasis on the local perspective.

Implementation

Implementation of all technology plans will evolve as the planning process proceeds and state and federal funding becomes available. Educational entities have already been implementing technology to create access and distance learning opportunities with and without a formal planning process. Therefore, as the planning process defined by the Technology in Education Panel progresses, concurrent implementation efforts at the local, regional, and state levels are likely to continue.

Table 3 below displays the technology needs as identified by the panel and the ways to address them:

As the Wyoming Education Technology Plan (WETP) is implemented, it is anticipated that the roles and structure of the Technology in Education Panel will change in the following ways:

Evaluation

Evaluation activities will also evolve as Wyoming moves forward towards integrating technology into educational settings. There are three critical segments for evaluation of technology in education. First, technology plan(s) must be evaluated based upon clearly defined criteria. Second, access to technology and actual utilization of such technology needs to be documented. Third, the impact of technology in terms of the relationship between technology and student learning must be assessed.

The Wyoming Department of Education, along with Quality Education Data of Denver, Colorado (QED), conducted a survey in the Fall of 1996 to establish benchmark data for connectivity and computers at the K-12 district and school building levels. At the same time, the Community College Commission sent out a survey to community colleges to establish baseline data for computers. It is the intent of the department and the commission to continue refining the survey instruments and working with QED to collect information about technology and education on a yearly basis. Future survey instruments will focus not only on connectivity, hardware and software, but also on teacher and student usage of technology.

The Wyoming Department of Education realizes that local education agencies fund educational technology from a variety of federal and state programs. Evaluation criteria for technology plans and implementation of such plans needs to be clearly specified across the different state and federal programs.

Evaluation of the Plan

As with the planning and implementation processes, the evaluation process for technology plans will evolve. The process will be built upon a number of key concepts developed by the Technology in Education Panel (refer to Appendix H for the technology plan scoring matrix). Evaluation of the Wyoming Education Technology Plan will occur through the following steps:

• The Technology in Education Panel will review the state plan on an annual basis; and
• The Panel will present a review of the plan and make recommendations to the Wyoming Education Planning and Coordination Council on an annual basis.

Training for both planning and evaluation needs to occur on a yearly basis. Trainings conducted on an annual basis will include a review of specific evaluation criteria upon which technology plans will be judged.

In addition, K-12 technology plans will be evaluated through the accreditation process. However, the State Board of Education would have to approve the evaluation of technology plans as an additional part of the accreditation process. The sequence of activities involved in this would include:

• the WDE recommends the technology plan as an item for the accreditation process to the State Board of Education;
• The Wyoming State Board of Education approves the recommendation;
• The approved recommendation is then written as rules and regulation;
• Once written, the rules and regulation must adhere to the Administrative Procedures Act, which requires a public comment period of 45 days;
• Following public comment, the Wyoming State Board of Education will then determine when the technology plan will become part of the accreditation process.

Evaluation of Utilization and Services Received

Implementation of technology plans needs to be regularly monitored. Actual utilization of educational technology by students of different abilities, ages, ethnicity and socioeconomic status must be documented. This process data on how technology has actually been implemented in the classrooms is critical to making sense of outcome data in terms of observed changes in student performance.

Evaluation of Student Learning in Relation to Technology

Evaluation is part of the planning process and, therefore, part of the key components established by the Technology in Education Panel. As such, each educational entity and region will develop an evaluation process which addresses student learning as part of the technology plan. These evaluation plans will be synthesized into the state plan as it evolves.

Regional Service Centers

Establishing regional technology service centers in Wyoming will be crucial to the effective implementation and evaluation of the Wyoming Education Technology Plan. The purpose of each center will be to provide technical assistance by: 1] promoting partnerships and cooperative ventures; and 2] effectively accessing and disseminating state, regional, and local resources. Regionalizing Wyoming's educational technology efforts will help assure that all public education entities are cooperatively and jointly developing objectives and strategies to meet the state technology goals established by the Technology in Education Panel.

Community involvement is a key to the success of this plan. Therefore, as the technology service centers evolve, the functions they provide for the education entities will also be provided to the community. The Panel suggests that centers be evaluated on a cost versus benefit basis annually.

Structure and Responsibilities of the Service Centers

Based on current information regarding statewide education technology activities, the Panel supports developing seven service centers, using the current Community College System service areas. The purpose of each center would be to provide:

• Partnerships;
• Direction in curriculum integration;
• Staff development;
• Knowledge about information infrastructure(s);
• Leadership in the planning process;
• More effective utilization of state, regional, and local resources.

Some benefits of establishing regional technology service centers include:

• Providing a direct link (liaison) to Wyoming's efforts in educational technology;
• Developing stronger communication links between educational entities, regions, and the state;
• Increasing purchasing power;
• Increasing the success of implementing and integrating technology into the educational environment;
• Maintaining the goals and strategies of each educational entity;
• Establishing regional goals to meet needs, based on assessments of each educational entity;
• Sharing resources to meet the challenges of educational technology;
• Developing, implementing, and evaluating regional technology plans;
• Developing strong community links by establishing formal partnerships.

Management of the Service Centers

The service centers will facilitate formal partnerships between participating educational entities. The resulting partnerships will determine decision-making processes and establish a governance structure with common goals for implementing educational technology at the regional level. The state will provide model structures for the regions.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction will establish a formal partnership with the Community College Commission, the University of Wyoming, and the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information. This formal partnership will establish seven regional technology service centers, based on community college service districts. Steps needed to develop the regional service centers include the following:

• A state regional technology center coordinator will be hired by the partnership to help the seven regions develop regional technology plans, determine staffing needs for the technology centers, and assist in drafting operational standards for each technology center. These standards and action steps for the regional technology centers will become part of the Wyoming Education Technology Plan.
• The above referenced coordinator will be administratively housed at the Community College Commission and will work closely with the WDE educational technology plan coordinator, the University of Wyoming coordinator, and the seven regional coordinators, as well as the Technology in Education Panel.
• The state coordinator will formally review each of the seven centers and compile an evaluation. The results from this evaluation will be presented in statewide public forum settings.

Funding Issues and Strategies

Introduction

As the state moves forward to implement the Wyoming Education Technology Plan, funding for the effort becomes critical. In addition to initial start-up capital, an important funding issue deals with sustainability and continuous support -- equipment needs to be maintained and upgraded on a regular basis.

The 1996 Wyoming State Tech Survey Report (K-12), published by Quality Education Data, indicates that funding to support Wyoming's technology in education efforts were drawn from a myriad of sources, none of which were state allocated dollars. Local and state funds that were used to implement technology were primarily garnered from foundation monies and bond levies. Data also indicated that federal funds were used to aid in implementing technology in education. These funds included monies from Carl Perkins, School-To-Work, Special Education, Goals 2000, and Title I, as well as other grant programs related to technology.

Another funding issue that requires consideration is that of equity. Equity refers to equality of opportunity among districts, schools, classrooms, students, and teachers. Care must be taken not to penalize progressive educational entities that have opted to invest local funding and efforts in educational technology. At the same time, consideration should also be given to those districts and schools that have not had the opportunity to move forward in this area. To strike a balance between the two groups, the Technology in Education Panel supports the concept of establishing a minimum level of technology-related services for all public educational entities. The Technology in Education Panel also supports the concept of expanding the state leased network to support:

• data connectivity to every school building in the state by July 1, 1999; and
• interactive two-way video capability to each high school in the state by July 1, 2001.

To fully implement the Wyoming Education Technology Plan, it is imperative that the funding issues listed below are addressed.

Sustainability and Equity

Technology is and will continue to be integral to education. No student in Wyoming should be denied the opportunity to participate in a technology rich learning environment that prepares them for the workforce. To inadvertently limit access to technology will seriously undermine the principles and purposes of public education. Wyoming leaders must be careful to ensure that the educational environment is not populated by "haves" and "have nots," or "users" and "non-users".

The critical issue related to funding for equity of opportunity is continuous and sustainable funding. Wyoming as a state must provide leadership to ensure that technology and related applications in education will be sustained equitably throughout the state.

Several key areas pertaining to the acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of educational technology must be addressed at the local, regional, and state level. These include:

• acquisition of appropriate equipment and associated infrastructure (e.g., LANs, wiring, building accommodations);
• training for faculty, staff, students, and community;
• continuing costs, such as telecommunications and maintenance;
• technical and application support;
• timely upgrade and or replacement of equipment;
• additional staffing positions to support education technology.

The acquisition and implementation of education technology within any education sector will have ramifications in other parts of the educational community. These additional needs must be funded if the state as a whole is to move forward in its plans to integrate technology into the education arena. Some of these needs will include:

• distance learning programs will require support for existing and new technology;
• regional technology centers are required to provide training and support;
• libraries will require technology to support students outside the school building in distance learning and in resource sharing capabilities;
• strong partnerships among multiple entities will be needed to support the technology movement.

Management, Analysis and Planning Associates Suggestions for Technology Funding

As mentioned in the Background section related to the Supreme Court case, the state is in the process of reviewing how schools are funded. The cost of education study conducted by MAP included some suggestions on funding technology and staff development which may provide a mechanism for sustained and continuous support of educational technology.

As of March 26, 1997, MAP's proposed model suggests that a district be provided a block grant with various categorical spending areas. Part of this block grant could consist of the category of supplies, material, and equipment. However, districts can spend the block grant in whatever manner they choose. MAP has defined the spending categories as follows:

Supplies and instruction materials:
This category contains the items (e.g., chalk, paper, pencils, and erasers) regularly used by teachers and others in a school to provide instruction and to engage in the day-to-day clerical and custodial operations of the school.

Equipment:
This category includes instructional computers, calculators, globes, scientific displays, and specialty items such as gymnastic equipment, used for instructional purposes. Computers are considered to be unusually important because of their potential for enhancing student achievement.

Professional Development:
MAP's model also provides a professional development category, which would be critical for the implementation of technology in education. Districts will be able to utilize these funds for various staff development activities -- including issues related to technology.

Block grants would be based on costs per pupil. Per pupil expenditures would differ by grade and groupings as reflected by instructional program differences.

Although MAP's model addresses the ongoing costs of maintenance and repair associated with technology, it does not address the costs associated with connectivity, hardware and software purchases necessary to achieve equity across the state. As the legislature begins to deliberate on the costs of education, the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will provide further recommendations to address the technology and equity issue. Also, the WDE will review the proposed professional development figures to ensure that funding will be available to adequately address educators' professional development needs related to technology.

Strategies to Create Sustained and Continuous Funding

Sustained and continuous funding must become available so that students and teachers are continually provided with the technology and support necessary for preparing students for the 21st century workforce. Other strategies for providing sustained and continuous funding for the state plan include:

• Develop state funding strategies based on 1) phases, 2) the state biennium fiscal structure, and 3) Management, Analysis, Planning Associates (MAP) recommendations for categorical funding.
• Distribute state technology funding to implement individual education entity, regional and state plans.
• Develop a process within the Wyoming Department of Education that will ensure that federal grant funds which support district technology efforts are included in district and educational entities' school improvement and/or technology plans.

State Proposed Costs for Implementing Technology in Education

The Panel has estimated costs for implementing technology on a statewide basis. Such costs have been based on a number of assumptions:

Assumption One
Equity in the area of educational technology can be defined as equity in opportunity to access information. In order to establish equal access to information, the Wyoming Educational Technology Plan defines criteria for all educational institutions.

Assumption Two

To achieve the previously listed criteria, funding needs to be established for one-time costs as well as recurring costs implicit within additional technology. Both these types of costs are detailed in the following table:

Assumption Three
Care must be taken not to penalize progressive educational entities which have opted to invest location funding and efforts in educational technology while creating an equitable technology playing field.

Assumption Four
Regional Technology Service Centers are crucial to effectively implement and evaluate technology efforts in Wyoming. The purpose of each center will be provide technical assistance by promoting partnerships and using state, regional, and local resources effectively.

Assumption Five
State funding established to support education technology will be distributed over a five year period.

The overall costs of implementing this vision for technology in Wyoming schools are depicted in Table 6 below. These costs are based on the five assumptions previously listed.

The Technology in Education Panel has adopted the following goal to guide the implementation of technology in education for Wyoming.

Objectives and Strategies

The following objectives and strategies support the single goal of the Wyoming Education Technology Plan. The plan will focus on developing objectives and strategies for five key components that were defined by the Goals 2000--Technology in Education Panel. The five key components are:

1. Demonstrate the development of common goals and foster on-going collaboration through partnerships with various education providers, the community, and business.


2. Include a broad based community/district team that is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating an instructional technology plan which is aligned with the school district's content and performance standards.


3. Include district policy and board commitment to support professional development to maximize the effectiveness of instructional technology.


4. Develop a process to address implementation of educational technology.


5. Specify the components of the infrastructure and means for connectivity to provide broad public access.

Under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Wyoming Education Technology Plan will:

Objective 1:

The cornerstone of community-based technology planning are formalized partnerships. When all stakeholders in a community commit to a collaborative solution by defining common goals and purposes based on needs, resources can be effectively leveraged. Partnerships can include community leaders from business, government, education, and other defined stakeholders. The outcome of formalized partnerships would be the development and implementation of a community technology plan.

Strategies:

1. Identify effective resource sharing strategies and practices in educational technology;
2. Facilitate community collaboration as part of a long-range technology plan;
3. Seek corporate, foundation, state, and federal resources to support education technology plans;
4. Create a management structure to support the regional technology service centers and networking systems.

Objective 2:

Teachers must be competent users of technology before they can creatively and effectively apply technology. The major task of upgrading Wyoming's educational personnel through staff development cannot be ignored. Every teacher in Wyoming needs readily available resources on information technology and extensive professional development in utilization of these resources. Staff development will require a significant, long-term commitment of time and resources.

Strategies:

1. Develop and disseminate standards for pre-service and continuing education in the area of educational technology for school personnel;
2. Create professional development programs to assure that standards for educators are met;
3. Develop training & support programs on technology at regional technical centers and make such programs available to educators;
4. Collaborate in the development, funding, and delivery of staff development opportunities within and between public and private sectors, including the district boards of education, the University of Wyoming, and the colleges of the Wyoming Community College System.

Objective 3:

Successful technology implementation requires a departure from traditional educational practice. Students must participate in meaningful instructional activities utilizing information technology. They need interaction with their teachers, business leaders, researchers and community members in projects where they use technology to research and produce worthwhile pursuits. Curricula must be rewritten to incorporate instructional technology and develop quality learning opportunities. These opportunities must provide learners with an ability to successfully compete in the workforce.

Strategies:

1. Establish a community-based planning process to provide direction in establishing interactive information resources;
2. Create, implement, and evaluate educational technology plans, focusing on student learning;
3. Define and develop distance learning resources;
4. Develop experience-based learning for all students.

Objective 4:

A statewide approach to comprehensive information infrastructure development leverages the aggregated demands of Wyoming's communities, businesses, educational institutions and government. Equal access and quality access to technologies which provide information and communication resources for all Wyoming's learners will be achieved as the infrastructure is built within buildings and throughout the state.

Strategies:

1. In cooperation with the private sector, implement and maintain four statewide data communication networks which would connect public educational facilities, including but not limited to: schools, community colleges, university classrooms, libraries, health care agencies, social service agencies, public television, and museums.
2. Coordinate the development and distribution of compatible, cost-effective technology, hardware, software, networking guidelines and technology plans;
3. Provide equal access to information infrastructure for all learners;
4. Establish funding for accessing and integrating technology.

Objective 5:

Systematic assessment of implementation is necessary in all successful strategic planning processes. Each major piece of the plan at every level must be assessed on an annual basis. The best instructional practices and professional development strategies must be continually evaluated and implemented to ensure that technological improvements are incorporated in the information infrastructure.

Strategies:

1. Design an evaluation method for the plans;
2. Collect data and report annually on the implementation of the plans;
3. Report deficiencies and recommend revisions in plans;
4. Evaluate funding mechanisms needed for implementation of plans. Wyoming Education Technology Plan: Enhancing opportunities for all citizens of Wyoming

Appendix A

The Technology in Education panel was appointed by the Governor and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. It is a broad-based panel including members from Wyoming's K-12 public schools, private schools, Community College System, University, business leaders, telecommunication service providers, legislators, teachers, Wyoming Education Association, State Libraries & Government, pre-schools, and communities.

Panel Members
Mark Antrim, Natrona County School District No. 1
Stan Bader, US West Communications
Ed Bales, Laramie County Community College
Chuck Bayne, Wyoming Education Association
Sue Belish, Sheridan County School District No. 1
Rob Bernard, Northern Wyoming Community College District
Jack Bottenfield, Eastern Wyoming College
Lesley Boughton, Natrona County Library
Dianne Bramwell, Child Development Center Region II
Jo Campbell, Campbell County School District No. 1
Steve Ellenbecker, Wyoming Public Service Commission
Julie Gillett, US West Communications
Marshall Gingery, Local Boards of Education
Joyce Gould, Park County School District No. 16
David Haas, University of Wyoming
James Hageman, Wyoming State House of Representatives
Ginny Harmelink, Organizations for the Young Child
Darlene Hartman-Hallam, Fremont County School District No. 38
Gloria Hedderman, Business/Labor Leaders
Rob Hurless, Casper Star Tribune
Marie Kalness, Western Tele-Communications, Inc.
Dan King, University of Wyoming
Robert Lemming, Western Tele-Communications, Inc.
Robert Lonzo, Local Boards of Education
George Mathes, Campbell County School District No. 1
Edward McCarthy, Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Larry Nash, Dubois Telephone Exchange
Nell Pederson, Natrona County School District No. 1
Greg Ray, Wyoming Public Television
Bill Schilling, Wyoming Heritage Foundation
Denise Staley, Sweetwater County School District No. 1
Terry Statton, Park County School District No. 6
Richard Strahorn, Sweetwater County School District No. 1
Jim Starr, Business/Labor Leaders
Dave Swanson, Big Horn County School District No. 1
Nick Testi, Central Wyoming Community College
Nedalyn Testolin, Wyoming State Board of Education
Jan Truchot, Crook County School District No. 1
Becky Underwood, Natrona County School District No. 1
Jerome Winter, Northern Wyoming Community College District
Gail Zimmerman, Wyoming State Senate

Wyoming State Liaisons
Monica Asher, Wyoming Department of Education
Tina Carroll, Wyoming Department of Administration & Information
Linda Carter, Wyoming Department of Education
Brian Greene, Wyoming State Library
Thomas Henry, Wyoming Community College Commission
Birney Holberg, Wyoming Department of Education
Helen Meadors, Wyoming State Library
Alan Sheinker, Wyoming Department of Education
Bruce Snyder, Wyoming Community College Commission
Margaret Spearman, Wyoming Rural Development Council
Larry Stolz, Wyoming Department of Administration & Information
Adell VanPatten-Gorney, Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board
Art VanRensselaer, Wyoming Department of Education

Appendix B

Community College Service Districts
Northwest Community College - Yellow	Northern Wyoming Community College District - Green
Eastern Wyoming Community College - Light Blue	Casper College - Orange
Central Wyoming Community College - Blue	Western Wyoming Community College - Red
Laramie County Community College - Pink

Appendix C

Appendix D

ORIGINAL HOUSE
BILL NO. 0048

AN ACT relating to public schools; requiring the development and implementation of a state education technology plan as specified; imposing annual reporting requirements; and providing for effective dates.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21-2-202(a) by creating a new paragraph (xx) is amended to read:

21-2-2-2. Duties of the state superintendent.

(a) In addition to other duties assigned by law, the state superintendent shall:

(xx) In cooperation with the state board, the Wyoming community college commission, University of Wyoming, state telecommunications council, public service commission, department of transportation, department of administration and information, public libraries, school district boards of trustees, classroom teachers and other appropriate groups identified by the superintendent, develop and implement a statewide education technology plan which shall address staff training, curriculum integration and network connectivity in and between schools, communities and between the state and the world, and which shall have as its goal the provision of equal access to educational instruction and information. Not later than January 10 of each year and with the assistance of participating agencies, an annual report on the status of the statewide education technology plan shall be prepared and issued by the state superintendent.

Section 2.

(a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the requirement for an annual report pursuant to W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xx) as amended by this act shall be effective beginning January 10, 1998, and each January 10 thereafter.

(END)

Appendix E

ORIGINAL HOUSE
BILL NO. 0115

AN ACT relating to education; providing for implementation of technology in education; specifying process; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming

Section 1.

(a) The governor and state superintendent of public instruction will jointly establish a committee of seven (7) persons to develop, in consultation with those entities identified in W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xx), a request for proposal (RFP) in conformance with the industry standards adopted by the committee to implement technology in education in accordance with this section. The RFP shall provide for interactive two-way video capability to each high school in the state by July 1, 2001, and data transmission connectivity to every school building in the state by July 1, 1999.

(b) In developing the RFP, the committee shall recognize and incorporate the need for a data transmission speed sufficient to meet the needs set forth in subsection (a) of this section and those of other state agencies. The RFP shall allow as much flexibility as possible in submitting bid proposals while ensuring the requirements specified in this section are met.

(c) The committee established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall review and evaluate all proposals submitted in response to the request for proposal. The committee shall recommend to the governor and state superintendent the proposal which best meets the requirements specified in this section. Any or all of the proposals may be rejected by the governor or state superintendent. If a proposal is accepted by the governor and the state superintendent, a contract implementing the proposal shall be entered into the by the governor and state superintendent on behalf of the state, subject to the appropriation of funds by the legislature sufficient to implement its provisions. If none of the proposals submitted are acceptable to both the governor and state superintendent, the process specified in subsection (a) of this section shall be repeated.

Section 2.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Appendix F

Wyoming Network Connectivity Map

Appendix G

Diagram of State Plan Strategic Process

Appendix H

All Key Components (in tech planning guide - tabs 16-20) will evolve from a task analysis into an action plan which corresponds to the above matrix.

Appendix I

Copyright © 1996-1998, Wyoming Dept of Education
2300 Capitol Avenue
Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0050

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