SECTIONS 52250-52254 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 52250-52254

52250. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the
"Digital High School Education Technology Grant Act of 1997." Schools
that receive grants under this program shall be known as "Digital
High Schools."

52251. (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1) Computer knowledge and skills are essential for individual
success in school and career and for the continued economic
prosperity of the State of California.
(2) All pupils in California must be "computer literate" before
they complete high school.
(3) Traditional learning is enhanced by appropriate technology.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that all high schools in
the state become "digital high schools" by the end of the first year
of the 21st century and that these schools fully integrate computers,
networks, training, and software to achieve computer literacy in all
pupils and faculty and to improve academic achievement.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that all high schools in
California receive a technology installation grant within four fiscal
years of the effective date of this chapter and that high schools
receive ongoing technology support and staff training grants.

52252. There is hereby established the Digital High School
Education Technology Grant Program with the following objectives:
(a) To provide all high school pupils with basic computer skills
including, but not limited to, the ability to utilize electronic
mail, word processing programs, electronic publishing software,
spreadsheet programs, courseware and related software, and Internet
search and retrieval tools.
(b) To improve pupil achievement in all academic subjects.
(c) To increase collaboration among high schools, private
industry, postsecondary education institutions, and community
organizations.

52253. (a) The Digital High School Education Technology Grant
Program shall provide one-time installation grants and ongoing
technology support and staff training grants to school districts and
county offices of education for projects at high schools. In order to
receive a grant, the school district or county office of education
of a high school participating in the program shall provide a local
match that is not less than the amount of the grant.
(b) The local match requirement for an installation grant may be
met by providing educational technology infrastructure, including,
but not limited to, wiring, cabling, routers, servers, and other
equipment specifically acquired and necessary to accommodate
educational technology, hardware, and software that meet either of
the following conditions:
(1) The resource is acquired as a donation or purchased with funds
from any source except funds provided pursuant to this chapter by
the school district or the county office of education during the
installation phase to implement the plans developed pursuant to
subdivisions (e), (f), and (k) of Section 52256. The value of
purchased resources may include any finance charges. The donated
resources shall be valued at current market value and shall not be
counted unless the resources have an expected useful life of not less
than five years in the technology plan.
(2) The resource was owned by the school district or the county
office of education before development of the technology plan
pursuant to subdivisions (e), (f), and (k) of Section 52256, is
included in that plan, and is installed in the high school before or
during the installation phase. The resource shall be valued at
current market value and shall have an expected useful life in the
technology plan of at least five years.
(c) The local match required for the installation grant may
include consultant fees and other contract personnel expenses that
are incurred during the installation phase, provided that these
expenses are incurred to implement plans for staff training and
curriculum development during the installation phase, and provided
that these expenses do not include the salaries of teachers,
administrative, and classified personnel employed at the school.
(d) The local match required for the technology support and staff
training grant may include costs incurred by the school district or
the county office of education to maintain and upgrade systems, to
support pupil and faculty users, and to provide ongoing staff
training at the high school site. These resources may include the
salary of a technology coordinator.

52254. (a) Within 90 days of the effective date of the act that
enacts this chapter, the Education Council for Technology in Learning
established pursuant to Section 51872 shall develop and submit to
the State Board of Education project and application criteria and any
other necessary program criteria, including the following:
(1) Criteria that shall establish fixed minimum grant levels for
small schools.
(2) Match criteria, including provisions for waiver or
modification of the match requirements in special circumstances.
(3) Minimum qualifications for installation grant funding.
(b) In developing criteria pursuant to subdivision (a), the
Council for Technology in Learning shall seek input from the State
Department of Education, the Governor's Office of Child Development
and Education, the Department of Information Technology, statewide
organizations of computer-using educators, institutions of
postsecondary education, and the educational technology industry. All
criteria, requirements, and qualifications developed pursuant to
this section shall be subject to approval by the State Board of
Education. The Council for Technology in Learning may annually review
and revise these criteria, as necessary, and resubmit them to the
State Board of Education.
(c) All criteria and requirements in Section 52256 shall be
neutral with regard to computer manufacturer and technology platform.
No project application submitted pursuant to this chapter shall be
evaluated or selected based on the applicant's selection of
technology manufacturer, supplier, vendor, or platform. It is the
intent of the Legislature to promote the broadest possible discretion
at the individual high school level with regard to the choice of
education technology.
(d) A high school shall receive only one installation grant
allocated pursuant to this chapter. Alternative high schools and
alternative programs for pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, that
include, but are not limited to, continuation schools, opportunity
schools, educational centers, community day schools, and special
education programs, and are located on the same property as, on a
site adjacent to, or across the street from, a comprehensive high
school, shall be included, for application and funding purposes,
within the comprehensive high school.
(e) Regional consortia established for the purposes of Article 15
(commencing with Section 51870) of Chapter 5 of Part 28 shall provide
support and assistance to schools applying for or implementing
grants allocated pursuant to this chapter upon the request of the
school district or county office of education having jurisdiction
over the school. Up to l percent of the total amount of funds
appropriated for purposes of this chapter may, upon approval of the
Department of Finance, be allocated to regional consortia for support
and assistance rendered to schools pursuant to this section.