SENATE, No. 796
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996
By Senator BUBBA
An Act to develop educational technology in the public schools and supplementing chapter 58 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Educational Technology Act."
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Educational technology can dramatically raise knowledge levels, teach problem solving techniques and develop higher-order analytic and critical thinking;
b. New Jersey students live in a state with a heavy concentration of high technology industry that demand students who are competent in using technology;
c. Educational Technology should be equally available to all the students enrolled in the State's public elementary and secondary schools;
d. Educational technology, including the utilization of hardware, software, training and facility modification can greatly expand and enhance the educational and future employment opportunities for students;
e. Although educational technology is available and used by some school districts, relatively few school districts within the State have been able to adequately avail themselves of the tremendous learning opportunities offered by educational technology.
3. There is established in the Department of Education the "Educational Technology Fund," hereinafter referred to as the "fund." The fund shall consist of:
a. moneys from the repayment of loans and interest thereon in the "Public Schools Facilities Loan Assistance Fund," established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1993, c.102 (C.34:1B-7.24), which shall be used for capital projects;
b. moneys derived from the sales, grants, leases, and rentals of lands and received by the "Fund for the Support of Free Public Schools," except those moneys determined by the trustees of the fund to be required for administrative expenses and for the school bond reserve established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1980, c.72 (C.18A:56-19) and the school facilities financing reserve established pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1993, c.102 (C.18A:56-21);
c. any moneys appropriated by the Legislature;
d. any moneys contributed from private sources;
e. any moneys received from federal grants for pilot projects; and
f. any interest or dividends earned on moneys in the fund.
4. The fund shall be used to provide local school districts with an approved educational technology plan an annual entitlement of $50.00 per pupil for the training, instruction and use of technology in the educational process.
5. To be eligible for an entitlement under section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the legislature as this bill), a school district shall submit a five year plan with The Office of Educational Technology in the Department of Education for review and approval. The Office of Technology shall monitor the district to ensure the district is appropriately following its plan.
6. A district's entitlement under section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (now pending before the legislature as this bill), shall be used for:
a. the acquisition of technological equipment and related services, including hardware, software, courseware, subscription fees for telecommuinications and data base services, and other related services;
b. the research and development of emerging educational technology; and
c. facility modification to meet the needs for educational technology;
A minimum of 30 percent of the full entitlement shall also be used for the training of teaching staff members to use technology in the classroom.
7. The Office of Educational Technology in the Department of Education shall establish rules for the administration of the fund.
8. The Office of Educational Technology in the Department of Education shall distribute information on successful projects which are implemented under this act and shall encourage their adoption in whole or in part in other school districts.
9. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes in the Department of Education the "Educational Technology Fund." The fund would be used to provide local school districts an annual entitlement of $50.00 per pupil for the training, instruction and use of technology in the educational process. Moneys for the fund would be derived from the repayment of loans and interest in the "Public Schools Facilities Loan Assistance Fund," and from the sales, grants, leases and rentals of lands received by the "Fund for the Support of Free Public Schools."
To be eligible to recieve any entitlement a school district would submit a five year educational technology plan to the Office of Educational Technology in the Department of Education for review and approval. The Office of Technology would also monitor each district and establish rules for the administration of the fund.
The bill provides that moneys from an entitlement can be used only for the acquisition of technological equipment, subscription fees for telecommuinications and data base services, facility modification and for research and development of emerging instructional technology. In addition, a district would be required to expend a minimum of 30 percent of its entitlement for the training of teaching staff members.
Finally, the bill requires the Department of Education to distribute information on successful projects to other districts.
Establishes "Educational Technology Fund" in the Department of Education.