Senate Bill No. 143

Senate Bill No. 143-Committee on Human Resources and Facilities

February 19, 1997
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Referred to Committee on Finance

SUMMARY--Creates commission for educational technology. (BDR S-247)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Yes.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget.

EXPLANATION - Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [ ] is material to be omitted.

AN ACT relating to education; creating the commission for educational technology; requiring the commission to establish a plan for the use of educational technology in the public schools; requiring school districts to submit certain information to the commission; making an appropriation; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

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Section 1 1. The commission for educational technology is hereby created. The commission shall establish a plan for the use of educational technology in all the public schools in this state. The commission consists of:
(a) One member who is a representative of the universities within the University and Community College System of Nevada, appointed by the board of regents of the University of Nevada;
(b) One member who is a representative of the community colleges within the University and Community College System of Nevada, appointed by the board of regents of the University of Nevada;
(c) Two members who are representatives of a school district in a county whose population is 400,000 or more, appointed by the state board of education;
(d) One member who is a representative of a school district in a county whose population is 100,000 or more but less than 400,000, appointed by the state board of education; and
(e) Two members who are representatives of one or more school districts in counties whose respective populations are less than 100,000, appointed by the state board of education.
2. The commission shall hold at least seven meetings. At least two of the meetings must be held in a county whose population is less than 100,000.
3. The members of the commission serve without compensation, except that for each day or portion of a day during which a member of the commission attends a meeting of the commission or is otherwise engaged in the business of the commission, he is entitled to receive the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees generally.
4. In preparing the plan for the use of educational technology in all the public schools in this state, the commission shall consider:
(a) Plans that have been adopted in other states, including, but not limited to, the Iowa Communications Network; and
(b) The reports submitted by the school districts pursuant to subsection 6.
5. The plan established by the commission must include recommended:
(a) Methods to increase the number of pupils in the public schools who have access to the INTERNET, including the world-wide web, through the educational information network of the University and Community College System of Nevada;
(b) Methods to increase the use of educational technology in providing instructional and tutorial services to pupils who reside in areas that do not have direct access to educational resources and personnel;
(c) Methods to increase the availability of technology to assist licensed teachers and other educational personnel in complying with the requirements of continuing education;
(d) Guidelines for the instruction of teachers concerning the use of educational technology as a tool for teaching pupils;
(e) Methods to increase the use of technology in the exchange of information among the various school districts; and
(f) Guidelines for the distribution of any money that is available from this state or the Federal Government for educational technology to the school districts.
6. On or before December 1, 1997, the board of trustees of each school district shall submit to the state board of education, for transmittal to the commission, a report on the availability of educational technology in the school district. The report must include, but is not limited to:
(a) A description of the hardware and software for computer systems, if any, that is available to each school in the district;
(b) A description of the equipment for transfer of data by modem, if any, that is available to each school in the district;
(c) A description of whether the existing electrical system in each school in the district has the capacity to ensure sufficient connection to the educational information network of the University and Community College System of Nevada; and
(d) An assessment of the financial needs of each school in the district and the district as a whole for educational technology. The assessment must set forth the priorities of the school district for the distribution of money for educational technology.
7. The state board of education, the board of trustees of each school district, the superintendent of each school district and the department of education shall cooperate with the commission in carrying out the provisions of this section.
8. The commission may contract for services as it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
9. The commission shall, on or before January 17, 1999, submit its plan for the use of educational technology in the public schools and any recommendations for legislation to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for transmittal to the 70th session of the Nevada legislature.
Sec. 2 On or before September 1, 1997, the board of regents of the University of Nevada and the state board of education shall appoint members to the commission for educational technology in accordance with subsection 1 of section 1 of this act.
Sec. 3 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the University and Community College System of Nevada the sum of $250,000 for the costs incurred by the commission for educational technology, of which not more than $15,000 may be used to pay for the per diem allowances and travel expenses of the members of the commission.
2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 1999, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
Sec. 4 Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of NRS 354.599, each local government shall pay any additional expenses related to the provisions of subsection 6 of section 1 of this act from existing revenues of that local government.
Sec. 5 This act becomes effective on July 1, 1997, and expires by limitation on June 30, 1999.