School TechnologyLearning Support :

The Minnesota Education Technology Taskforce (METT)

The Minnesota Education Technology Taskforce (METT) was established in 2007-08 and has been working with technology coordinators from districts to develop a strong technology partnership between MDE and districts. MDE is positioned to provide a foundation of flexible shared services that support the development of new and more efficient educational business practices and provide modern analytic tools to help schools and districts make data driven decisions and spend more time on teaching and learning. The METT has identified several critical gaps between what is currently collected by MDE and what is needed to provide foundational services to districts. Items below are will be addressed by MDE over the next three years as systems are modernized:

• The intent is for districts and Minnesota data management providers to leverage existing resources on top of the state foundation by providing technology tools and infrastructure for students to develop skills for success in an increasingly complex and information rich society.
• The METT determined that the lack of uniform information about district technology infrastructures also makes it difficult to have a unified partnership and effective strategic vision. Six key areas were identified as the core needed to provide effective 21st Century services to Minnesota students:

Beginning in late 2008 MDE will collect information about districts technology infrastructure in these core areas through the technology planning process. With input from education stakeholders MDE will maintain and publish a current set of standards and guidelines for district success in technology based on Gartner’s top ten list for Education. Visit the Gartner Website.

School Technology Funding Opportunities

There are a number of technology funding opportunities for districts that are either managed by MDE or are directly funded to districts. Title II, Part D – Enhancing Education Through Technology (E2T2) program that is part of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation passed by Congress in 2002 and administered by MDE.

The state Telecommunications/Internet Access Equity Aid program is administered by MDE and provides funding to offset telecommunications/ Internet access costs that are not funded by E-rate. School districts, charter schools and nonpublic schools report actual costs for telecommunications / Internet access each year to MDE, adjusted for any E-rate revenue received. Aid is then generated based on these actual costs.

Microsoft Settlement CyPres Program provides vouchers varying in dollar amounts from several hundred dollars to $6.3 million to 467 school districts and charter schools. The voucher amount available to each district or charter school is based upon its percentage of the state's total number of free and reduced price lunch eligible students. Vouchers can be redeemed for more than 1,500 eligible products from numerous companies from now until January 27, 2012.

The federal E-rate program provides discounts, ranging from 20 to 90 percent, on telecommunications services, including Internet access. These discounts are offered to public schools, nonpublic schools and public libraries. E-rate is not administered by MDE; E-rate discounts must be applied for annually through the Universal Service Administrative Company and the application requires an approved technology plan. Information on application procedures is available at http://www.universalservice.org/sl.