NCREL Policy Issues
Issue 15, January 2004
Policy Analysis
8. State-Subsidized Electronic Network
Policy studies are needed on the value of states developing and maintaining their own regional electronic networks, versus contracting with the private sector for such a service, versus subsidizing districts to interconnect however they wish. The relative value of having such a regional network service for all forms of human service organizations, as contrasted with focusing only on educational institutions, is another area in which more research is needed. One reason that little research of this type has been conducted is lack of funding. No single human service agency is likely to fund such studies, and joint funding across human service organizations typically is difficult to attain. Another barrier to this type of research is that the private sector vendors who supply such networks often have vested interests in implementing a particular model, regardless of whether or not it is the most effective approach.
In the North Central region, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin have the most developed statewide electronic networks. The Illinois Century Network (ICN) is a telecommunications backbone providing high-speed access to data, video, and audio communication in schools and libraries, colleges and universities, public libraries and museums, and local governments and state agencies.
ICN sponsors an annual Illinois Distance Learning Conference, which focuses on virtual professional development for teachers. The Iowa Communications Network is a state agency that administers a statewide fiber optics network. The capacity of the Iowa Communications Network enables authorized users—such as hospitals, state and federal government, public defense armories, libraries, schools, and higher education—to communicate via high-quality, full-motion video; high-speed Internet connections; and telephones. The Ohio SchoolNet provides access to data, voice, and video networks for public school classrooms throughout the state. ONEnet Ohio is a state initiative working to expand SchoolNet's capabilities.Wisconsin provides subsidized telecommunications for all districts. Districts may either receive a T1 line for $100 per month or a DS/3 video line for $250 per month. About two thirds of Wisconsin's 426 school districts are on a full-motion video-distance learning network funded and operated by the state.
Resources
Illinois Century Network
www.linc2icn.net
Iowa Communications Network
www.icn.state.ia.us
ONEnet Ohio
www.ohioschoolnet.k12.oh.us/3_programs/default.asp?pg=2&tab=fastfacts&program=onenet
Wisconsin BadgerNet Converged Network
www.doa.state.wi.us/wencc/
