SECTIONS 66940-66941 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 66940-66941

66940. There is hereby established the California Distance Learning
Policy, which sets forth the guiding goal and principles for the
utilization of technology in California postsecondary education.

66941. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that access to a high
quality education is the primary goal for the use of educational
technology in higher education. All students in California's public
schools and colleges and all adults in the state shall have access to
educational opportunities for which they are qualified, regardless
of their income level, geographic location, or the size of the school
they attend.
(b) Pursuant to its statutory planning and coordination functions
and responsibilities identified in Section 66900, the California
Postsecondary Education Commission shall convene an intersegmental
working group to determine state funding priorities consistent with
the institutional missions of the systems of higher education.
(c) The intersegmental working group shall observe all of the
following principles to guide the development of priorities and the
proposed expenditure of state revenues on technology infrastructure
and applications:
(1) Development of a statewide infrastructure that provides
compatible connectivity between all levels of education to reduce
redundancy and increase efficiency.
(2) Adherence to nationally and internally accepted protocols and
standards.
(3) Assurance that the standards for course and program quality
applied to distance education are rigorous in meeting accreditation
standards, Universal Design Standards, and standards currently
applied to traditional classroom instruction at higher educational
institutions in the areas of course content, student achievement
levels, and coherence of the curriculum.
(4) Collaboration between the private sector and educational
institutions in the availability and use of technology in
high-priority schools and underserved areas.
(5) Collaboration across departments, institutions, states, and
countries in the use of technology.
(6) Use of technology to contain costs, improve student outcomes,
and enhance quality in instructional and noninstructional functions,
such as student services, libraries, and administrative support.
(d) The intersegmental working group shall be composed of
representatives from public, elementary and secondary education, the
California State University, the California Community Colleges, the
University of California, independent accredited universities and
colleges, state approved schools and colleges, private sector
providers of distance education, the Office of the Secretary of
Education, and the private sector.
(e) The commission shall facilitate the development of statewide
funding priorities for technology in higher education, and shall
forward the recommendations of the working group to the Legislature
and the Governor on or before August 1, 2002.