SB1466 - 512R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Smart school technology pilot program; request for proposals; independent evaluating committee; rules; reports; delayed repeal

A. The department of education, in cooperation with the superintendent of public instruction, shall establish a three-year smart school technology pilot program to encourage the deployment of whole-school technology in public schools.

B. The department of education, with input from the independent evaluating committee established by this section, shall issue a request for proposals for the development and implementation of a whole-school technology deployment plan for schools.

C. From recommendations submitted by the independent evaluating committee, the department of education shall select a single education technology provider with integrated whole-school technology deployment experience from among the entities that submitted proposals.

D. The independent evaluating committee is established to:

1. Advise the department of education in issuing a request for proposals pursuant to this section.

2. Evaluate proposals submitted pursuant to this section.

3. Advise the department of education on the selection of schools to participate in the pilot program.

E. The independent evaluating committee shall consist of the following:

1. Three members of the state board of education who are appointed by the chief presiding officer of the state board of education.

2. The chief information officer for information technology.

3. Two members who are appointed by the chief executive officer of the Arizona commerce authority.

4. The governor or the governor's designee.

F. The independent evaluating committee shall evaluate each proposal submitted pursuant to this section with respect to both of the following:

1. A provider's experience with integrated whole-school technology deployment.

2. The components of a one‑to‑one mobile initiative plan.

G. The educational technology provider selected pursuant to this section shall develop a one‑to‑one mobile initiative plan for each school district and charter school participating in the pilot program. The one‑to‑one mobile initiative plan must be based on proposals submitted to the committee and must include the following components:

1. A mobile learning device or digital textbook for each student and teacher.

2. Peripherals and networking equipment, including a next-generation wireless network that is capable of supporting all connected devices simultaneously.

3. Professional development for educators, students and technology specialists on the following:

(a) Incorporating digital technology in education.

(b) The operation and use of the technology equipment.

(d) Digital citizenship.

(e) Cost savings for administrators.

4. Internet filtering that allows for on‑campus and off‑campus security.

5. Operating software for the technology system, including software that connects digital learning devices among students and teachers to facilitate classroom interaction.

6. An evaluation by an independent third party.

7. Ongoing technical support.

H. A school district or charter school may submit an application to the department of education to participate in the pilot program. The application must include an implementation plan that includes the following:

1. A mobile learning device or digital textbook for each student and teacher.

2. Peripherals and networking equipment, including a next-generation wireless network that is capable of supporting all connected devices simultaneously.

3. Professional development for educators, students and technology specialists on the following:

(a) Incorporating digital technology in education.

(b) The operation and use of the technology equipment.

(d) Digital citizenship.

(e) Cost savings for administrators.

4. Internet filtering that allows for on‑campus and off‑campus security.

5. The total costs for participation in the pilot program.

6. The deployment schedule.

7. A schedule for the execution of the implementation plan.

8. Purchase plans for software and other necessary content.

I. The department of education, with input from the independent evaluating committee and the superintendent of public instruction, shall select school districts and charter schools to participate in the program. The department of education shall distribute technology grants from monies appropriated for this purpose to school districts and charter schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program. To the extent possible, the department of education shall attempt to select school districts and charter schools with students:

1. From different geographic regions of the state.

2. From both urban and rural areas.

3. With a variety of economic and demographic characteristics.

J. Notwithstanding any other law, the superintendent of public instruction shall issue temporary waivers from school finance laws for the duration of the pilot program that allow the school districts and charter schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program increased flexibility to budget and expend monies on education technology.

K. Notwithstanding any other law, any budgetary savings incurred as the result of participation in the pilot program may be retained by the participating school districts and charter schools and may be expended for any lawful purpose.

L. The state board of education shall adopt rules specifying procedures and criteria to be used for selecting schools to participate in the pilot program.

M. On or before November 15 of 2015, 2016 and 2017, the department of education, in collaboration with the education technology provider and the school districts and charter schools that participate in the pilot program, shall evaluate the program and submit a report that summarizes the results of the pilot program to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. The report that is submitted in 2017 may include proposed legislation to permanently change the school finance laws to allow school districts and charter schools increased flexibility to budget and expend monies on education technology. The department of education shall provide a copy of these reports to the secretary of state.

N. The department of education may contract with an independent evaluator to conduct the evaluations prescribed in subsection M of this section.

O. This section is repealed from and after September 30, 2018.

Sec. 2. Appropriation; department of education; technology grants

The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2014-2015 to the department of education for technology grants to school districts and charter schools that are selected to participate in the smart school technology pilot program established by this act.