§ 6-47-502 - Distance learning grants. - Arkansas Statutes

6-47-502. Distance learning grants.

(a) (1) The Department of Education shall develop grant standards and provide grants to education service cooperatives for acquiring equipment and receiving telecommunications services necessary for each school district to have distance learning availability.

(2) The grants shall be used to assist school districts that do not have distance learning capabilities and to assist school districts in upgrading existing distance learning capabilities.

(3) The grants shall also be used by the education service cooperatives to provide technical assistance to the school districts in implementing and maintaining distance learning as an educational tool.

(b) (1) The Department of Education shall:

(A) Establish, by rule, standards for eligible equipment and telecommunications services; and

(B) Oversee the efficient operation and use of the system pursuant to law.

(2) Each school district shall have adequate connectivity to provide quality of service for distance learning.

(3) The distance learning technical protocol or protocols shall be in alignment with technical standards set by the Director of the Department of Information Systems.

(c) Education service cooperatives and school districts shall coordinate with the department to seek to obtain the benefits of the Federal Communications Commission's E-rate discount program.