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CETPA Databus Summer 2009
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THEME FOR THIS ISSUE: Green Technology
Green Leadership in Times of Economic Stress
The Paperless School Board
Green Computing Makes Cents
Death by Printing
SUMMER 2009Volume 2009 • Issue 3
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Summer 2009 • DataBus 5
Supporting California’s Educational Technology Community Summer 2009 Volume 2009 • Issue 3
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Sa r t i c l e s
President’s Message .................................................................................6By Russ Brawn
Best Practices ..........................................................................................8By Phil Scrivano
Green Leadership in Times of Economic Stress .....................................10By Rich Kaestner
Green Computing Makes Cents ............................................................12By Jim Klein
The Paperless School Board ......................................... 14By Sarah Zykanov
Death By Printing: The Rise of the Digital Textbooks ........................................................ 16By Brian Bridges
Cue View ..................................................................... 18By Sara Armstrong
A Double Dose of Green with Conferencing Technologies........................................... 20By Alan Phillips
Ocean View School District’s Journey with Hyper-V .............................22By Charles Poovakan
Legislative Update .................................................................................25By Dr. Jeffrey Frost
E-rate Update ........................................................................................27By Fred Brakeman
2009 CETPA Call for Speakers .............................................................28
Resource Guide and Ad Index ...............................................................30
PublisherCalifornia Educational Technology Professionals Association
Managing EditorWade [email protected]
Advertising ManagerCici TrinoAssociation Outsource ServicesTel: (916) 990-9999Fax: (916) [email protected]
EditorLisa Kopochinski(916) 481-0265Fax: (916) [email protected]
Layout and DesignLori Mattas
Printing and MailingCopeland Printing
Databus is the official publication of the California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA). Databus is published four times a year as a service to our members and information technology managers for California’s K-12 school system.
The CETPA and the Databus assume no responsibility for the statements or opinions appearing in articles under an author’s name. The services of an attorney or accountant should be sought in legal and tax matters.
All rights to the materials and editorial content of Databus are reserved. All copyrights and trademarks are property of their respective owners. Reproduction or use in whole or part without the permission by CETPA is prohibited.
California educational Technology Professionals Association
Board of Directors
PrESiDEnT’S MESSaGEBy russ Brawn, CETPA President
A s I write this message, two thoughts come foremost: the first is the widespread accolade and support for CETPA’s contribu-tions to its membership, particularly in the value delivered by
our annual conference; and secondly, the importance of progressing to green technology, the theme of this Databus issue.
In the last issue of Databus, we presented the challenge in con-ducting the 2009 conference in a time of scant monetary resources. Through surveys, feedback from the EdTech list serve and elsewhere, the board has been gathering thoughts and concerns from our com-munity. Many have commented on the desire for a more virtual experience, and the capture of conference sessions that may be later shared. We are thankful for your contributions of these thoughts, but I find myself most impressed by the recognition of the value of the event as it has been—in the multi-layered and fully dimensional experiences that are gained via in-person interaction within and outside of conference sessions. That is, the “gold” to which this column refers. Value akin to gold is found in colleagues sharing of successes and failures, and in moments of discovery that are made possible through the presentation and exchange of ideas, services and products.
The support for a most cost effective, yet traditionally conducted conference is manifest. With your support as presenters and attend-ees, the CETPA conference will continue to present mission critical value as we explore alternative options to enrich professional devel-opment among California’s technology leaders and practitioners.
Turning to the concept of green technologies, the CETPA board finds one more reason to ardently support our governor’s call to promote textbooks in a digital format within our schools. As most of you know, Governor Schwarzenegger advocated the implementation of policy to create digital textbooks for high school science and math by August 2009. At its May meeting, the State Board of Education voted to pursue just such a policy calling upon the Office of the
Secretary of Education, the Department of Education and the State Board’s staff to develop a call to content developers and publishers for digital materials for geometry and above and for high school science. By the time publication digital textbooks would be submitted, and by July 15, the digital texts would have a standards review by high school teachers and specialists. By the end of July, a report on standards alignment will be prepared. A final report will be submitted to the governor by mid August. Upon approval of the report, the digital textbooks would be available for every school to use. Over time, the goal would be to expand the use of digital textbooks to other subject matter and other grade levels.
Cost savings has been a focus of both promoters and skeptics of the initiative and it is one important consideration. However, that is but one measure by which to appraise widespread introduction of digital learning media. Using less paper-based media and using efficient appli-ances to delivery the content to students are other considerations. Most imperative, however, is to adopt and adapt to new 21st-century skills to transform teaching and learning into envi-ronments that engage today’s students. The CETPA board has taken a position of support for the governor’s innovative proposal, has communicated our organizational support, and has offered our assistance in implementation of the digital textbook policy. In these efforts, we are working with Secretary of Education Glen Thomas. CETPA believes that this policy is the first step toward significant reforms in public education and as the organization is uniquely situated to provide technical and strategic assistance, we call for your support. Your voices and actions of support are critical to the transformation to alternative tools for instruction within the schools and districts that we love and support. I continue to look forward to your assistance in fashioning answers and developing skills that embellish our capacity to tend to the needs of others.
Green and Gold
Value akin to gold is found in colleagues sharing of successes
and failures, and in moments
of discovery that are made
possible through the presentation and exchange of
ideas, services and products.
6 DataBus • Summer 2009
PRESIdENT
L. Russ Brawn, Chief Operations OfficerFCMAT/CSiS770 L Street, Suite 1120Sacramento, CA 95814
PRESIdENT ELEcT
Dr. Kelly Calhoun, Director of Educational Technology & Information SystemsFolsom Cordova Unified School District945 riley StreetFolsom, CA 95630
PaST PRESIdENT
Warren Williams, Assistant Superintedent, RetiredGrossmont Union High School District1100 Murray DriveEl Cajon, CA 92020
TREaSURER
Terrell Tucker, Director Information & Technology ServicesPanama-Buena Vista Union School District4200 Ashe roadBakersfield, CA 93313
SEcRETaRY
Gregory W. Lindner, Technology Services DirectorElk Grove Unified School District9510 Elk Grove-Florin roadElk Grove, CA 95624
EXEcUTIVE dIREcTOR
Andrea Bennett915 L Street #C424Sacramento, CA 95814
dIREcTOR OF PUbLIcaTIONS
Wade Williams, Director of Network ServicesStanislaus County Office of Education1100 H StreetModesto, CA 95354
dIREcTORS aT LaRGE
Stephen Carr, Executive Director Technology ServicesVentura County Office of Education5189 Verdugo WayCamarillo, CA 93012
Sandra Ching, Director of Information ServicesPlacentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District1301 Orangethorpe AvenuePlacentia, CA 92870
Todd Finnell, Chief Executive Officer, CA K-12 High Speed Networkimperial County Office of Education1398 Sperber roadEl Centro, CA 92243
Dr. Carl Fong, Information Technology Executive DirectorOrange County Department of Education200 Kalmus DriveCosta Mesa, CA 92626
Oswaldo A. Galarza, Director, Technology ServicesSan Juan Unified School District3738 Walnut Ave.Carmichael, CA 95608
Tim Goree, Director of Technology Servicesnorris School District6940 Calloway DriveBakersfield, CA 93312
C Innovation, Inc. develops Zangle, a student information system that helps K-12 school
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BEST PRacTIcESBy Phil Scrivano
Green Technology and What it Means
By Phil Scrivano
When I think about “green technology,” I can’t help but recall working for an Air Quality Control District during my summers away from the classroom. This experience showed me that companies asked to comply with stricter standards
did so by becoming more efficient and using the best available control technology known as BACT. A byproduct of efficiency and BACT was greater profitably for the companies.
I believe we can apply the same concepts to education technology. Efficiency, better technology, and saving money are on the minds of every IT director. In this article I will explore best practices in green IT administration.
For my example I will assume a K-12 district with 4,000 ADA and seven sites. Technicians today support 150 to 300-plus computers each and are a limited resource.
With little formal structure, shared technicians are often deployed in a manner that results in many miles of driving and less onsite time. A help-desk priority system and onsite technician protocols help increase efficiency in this area. To set the priority system, there first needs to be a set schedule for on-site technician time. During this onsite time, the technician checks in with the site secretary and works on technology issues that staff have e-mailed the secretary in advance. These are non-pressing issues or software support training that the user did not feel needed to be escalated to a help desk call. Time at each site should be monitored by the director and adjusted accordingly. The technicians are a shared resource, but as much as possible, each technician should become familiar with a limited number of sites.
Once onsite there will always be what is called an “arm pull, please help me now” request that will interfere with the schedule. Technicians need to be held accountable for time—and coached on how to determine a quick fix and how to politely instruct the user to call support. Technicians traveling on a schedule site to site are much more efficient than a deployment based solely on the help-desk queue.
The next step is to have a technician available who can attempt to give online remote support to end users. A technician should only be deployed to a site off schedule when certain criteria are met such as the loss of network connectivity to the district office or a computer with a hardware issue. The use of readily available loaner computers and a 48-hour turn around on hardware issues assures everyone the sites are being supported.
Green technology also means taking responsibility for end-user PC power consump-tion. There is technology available now to control when a computer turns off and on. As with other network-based policy issues, you’ll want to achieve the goal of power saving while minimizing animosity towards the IT department. Having a policy that shuts down a teacher’s computer at a fixed time such as 6:00 p.m. without an option to add time or not shut off the machine will build animosity from the faculty. So choose power-control software that works, can demonstrate in reports what the savings are, and that it is not so strict as to cause users to manually restart computers or lose information in active memory.
Another area that is closer to home for the IT director is power consumption within the IT department. Virtualization is no longer cutting-edge technology. As you plan for server-hardware replacement, investigate how many servers can be replaced by virtualiza-tion. I recently observed 20 VM servers on one host computer running better than the 20 stand-alone servers it replaced. Depending on hardware, you should be able to realize between a 5:1 to 20:1 ratio of servers. Power savings will be nearly the same as the ratios.
In these financially strapped times for education, the most important thing is to be able to show a cost savings in a short period of time. The key is being able to demonstrate and plan ahead as you build budgets with your business departments. If you want to take “green technology” to the next level, chart your department’s use of carpooling, cycling, and public transportation and challenge the other departments in your district to match—another lesson learned from the Air Quality District.
Phil Scrivano is vice president of customer services for Lightspeed Systems. He can be reached at (661) 716-7600 or [email protected].
in these financially
strapped times for
education, the most
important thing is to
be able to show
a cost savings
in a short period
of time.
8 DataBus • Summer 2009
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S chools across the country, and particularly in Cali-fornia, are focused on dealing with unprecedented budget cuts. These are scary times, but this is also
a time of opportunity; an opportunity to focus on many measures to tighten computer and network operations to drive efficiencies and implement streamlined support, infrastructure and related tools.
Utilities (gas, power, phone) are probably the second largest expense in your district, and office equipment (primarily computers, servers, storage and network equipment) make up about 25 percent of that expense. Other than changing thermostats the business office feels it has little control over utility bills; and because the utility bills are not part of the IT budget, this area of potentially big savings continues to sit on the IT department’s back burner in most schools.
Green computing is an opportunity for the school or district technology leader to take the lead in working with the business office to save money, perhaps gain-ing a bit of IT budget relief in return, while leading the charge for a greener institution.
Saving Money with Green ComputingGreen computing consists of responsible com-
puter purchase and disposal, reduced energy use by computers, and using computers to reduce waste of non-renewable resources. The major cost savings from green computing result from efforts to reduce energy use by computers, and by using computers to measure and control building energy use.
When evaluating potential energy savings that can be realized within the computing infrastructure, it is important to understand or measure your current energy use, plan changes, implement changes and then measure progress. Both end-user computing and datacenter equipment should be considered.
Measure: Before diving into energy saving measures, it is important to know your current baseline energy use of computers and related infrastructure; a sort of starting point for your energy conservation process. Hardware monitoring devices or sub-metering of data-centers and network managed energy use and control software for end user computers are ways to actually
measure energy use. Alternatively, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) offers an energy usage cal-culator that does a reasonable job of estimating power use (www.cosn.org/greencomputing).
Plan: Reducing energy use by computers and related infrastructure entails a plan of action with estimated KwH and dollar savings. Once again the CoSN energy usage calculator is a good tool to help with these esti-mates. The energy savings can be looked at in two parts: end user computers and datacenter (or server closet).
End User: A turn-it-off policy is a first step for end users, whether or not you have automated and/or Energy Star features implemented. Beyond just turning off com-puters at night, user awareness should include turning off lights and turning off devices, including computers, at the power strip. All devices with power supplies should be plugged into power strips and power strips turned off when not in use. Additionally, most modern computers have the capability to standby then hibernate when not used for a period of time. These settings can be managed locally or by network-based programs, such as Faronics’ Power Save or Verdiem’s Surveyor products, which also generate energy consumption and savings reports. Use of thin clients, such as offered by Citrix, or sharing a single PC among several keyboards, mice and displays, such as offered by NComputing, are other power saving approaches to end user computing. Replacing those old CRT displays (about 80 watts) with newer LCD models (about 30 watts) also helps.
Datacenter: Datacenters, which can use up to 100 times the power per square foot as classroom space, are good targets for reducing power consumption. In most cases, the servers, network equipment and storage devices use less than half of datacenter’s power; HVAC cooling, power supplies and other miscellaneous items use over fifty percent of the datacenter power. Consider-ing that most servers are less than 10 percent utilized, the datacenter generally offers a great opportunity for reductions in energy use. Server consolidation, using blade servers, and where application isolation is neces-sary, virtualization offer ways to reduce the number of servers along with related HVAC and power supply requirements. Likewise, migrating to fewer, larger-
Green Leadership in Times of Economic Stress
By Rich Kaestner
10 DataBus • Summer 2009
capacity storage drives generally reduces power requirements. A focus on controlling the flow of cold air in the datacenter may also reap benefits. Is it really necessary for the entire room to feel like a refrigerator, or can the cool air be directed to hot spots, such as processors?
reduce Waste: Computers can also be used to reduce power consumption elsewhere. Areas worth investigating include computerized building climate controls and utility bill moni-toring and management software, such as UtilityDirect from SchoolDude.
Saving natural resources and reducing carbon emissions while saving your school or district money is a win for everyone. And, during the current budget crisis, you may be able to negotiate for an energy use line-item in the IT budget or for a percent of the energy savings you can bring about with green computing.
Rich Kaestner is the Project Director for CoSN’s Green Computing Leadership Initiative. More information about CoSN can be found at www.cosn.org. CETPA and CoSN are in a partnership that establishes the CETPA/CoSN California Chapter to benefit California members of both organizations. For more information, contact Oswaldo Galarza, California chapter chair at [email protected].
Summer 2009 • DataBus 11
W hen most technologists think of “green com-puting” they tend to gravitate toward the obvious: lower power devices, auto-shutoff
tools, and less polluting material construction. These are all great when considering new purchases, but can account for only a fraction of the environmental and capital savings of equipment re-use.
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its electronics environmental ben-efits calculator, which is intended to assist users with quantifying the benefits of environmentally sound management of electronic equipment. According to this tool, re-using just one computer and monitor saves:• 30 lbs of hazardous waste• 77 lbs of solid waste• 77 lbs of materials• 147 lbs (17.5 gallons) of water from being polluted• 32 tons of air from being polluted• 1,333 lbs of CO2 from being emitted• 7,719 kilowatts of energy
This is roughly the equivalent of taking half a car off the road and saving 68 percent of one U.S. household’s allotment of electricity for a year. These numbers are significant and certainly worthy of consideration.
So then the question is: how do we in K12 lever-age computer re-use strategically and effectively to both increase student technology access and reduce our footprint on the environment? To answer this question, a realistic analysis of computer use in K12 schools and districts is required, and will undoubtedly reveal obvious opportunities.
First, consider that the vast majority of computer use requires very little processing power. Most individual desktop applications in educational envi-ronments spend the majority of their time waiting for the user to do something, rather than the computer actually processing. Consider also that we are using more Web-based applications, in which the server does most of the work.
With these facts in mind, it becomes quite easy to conclude that operating systems are the primary driver of continually escalating system requirements, which lead to ever more rapid and premature (and unnecessary, in our opinion) equipment retirement. As such, the logical conclusion is to utilize operating systems which are capable of supporting the same or similar software with lower system requirements. In other words, leveraging lightweight open-source
applications and Linux on desktops and thin clients.Here at Saugus, we have long been supporters of
Linux on the desktop (Fedora is our favorite flavor.) Linux on the desktop offers a number of significant advantages:
Fast and light: Linux is significantly smaller (in lines of code) than mainstream operating systems, which means that it is more efficient for machines with fewer resources. Its modular design allows a user to install only the parts they want, and to leave off the parts they don’t. The result is better performance on low powered hardware.
Secure and stable: The design of Linux is inher-ently secure, and is generally far less susceptible to viruses and malware than other systems. And, Linux is widely regarded as one of the most stable operating systems on the planet. These factors make it ideal for use in K12, where availability of support resources is often limited.
Broad hardware support: The open-source com-munity is well known for its hardware support, especially for older hardware, which makes Linux extremely easy to install on older machines. In gen-eral, everything just works without effort. No more hunting for drivers.
More variety: Most Linux distributions offer a wealth of applications for a variety of needs, including education. Common applications such as OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Adobe Reader, and myriad others are widely available. Projects such as Tux4Kids, KDE Education Project, GCompris, and others have won-derful offerings for classroom use. And, all are free.
Flexible networking: Linux is extremely flexible as a network client and can be easily integrated into Microsoft, Apple, and Novell environments.
Free: Did I mention free? Often, older machines have Windows 2000, 98, ME, XP Home Edition on them. The cost and effort to upgrade these machines to XP Pro or Vista is hardly worth the effort.
Linux = Green Computing: A number of articles have surfaced lately declaring Windows as an energy hog. Have a look at “Not so Green Computing: Is Windows an energy hog?” and “True or False: Switching from a Windows-operated computer to a Linux-operated one could slash computer-generated e-waste levels by 50 percent.” (Links are on next page.) In addition, there are a number of efforts to make Linux even greener, such as Intel’s Less Watts project and IBM’s Big Green Linux project.
By Jim Klein
12 DataBus • Summer 2009
Green Computing Makes ¢ents
Every Linux client we install operates as a fully functional network client. Users log in to the network using our Windows-based authentication mechanism and automatically mount network home folders and shares. VNC is installed and configured, enabling remote technical support. Everything an IT department would expect is available on each machine.
But we don’t stop there. We make sure that the latest Internet technologies and media players are installed, as well as a host of educational, multimedia, scientific, and productivity applications. Each work sta-tion easily contains more than 40 software applications for ready use in the classroom.
We’ve even relaxed our “just say no” policy toward accepting donations. Over the past several months, we have accepted more than 200 machines from the Department of Defense and other organizations, and have installed Linux on the vast majority of them. Since we are able to script and fully automate the Linux installation, classroom teachers are able to handle the deployment and increase their computer count in a mat-ter of minutes.
The impact of this approach on the edu-cation and the environment is significant. Student- to-computer ratios drop, and schools gain increased flexibility with technology allocation. Students gain access to a greater number of applications and reliable computing resources. Teachers are empowered to implement broader technol-ogy driven lessons as a result of increased technology access. And equipment usable life is extended, driving down the cost of technology integration and reducing our impact on the environment.
The “wins” provided by computer reuse are hard to ignore, especially in tough eco-nomic times such as ours. Consider making the most of those old machines, rather than simply throwing them out—your students and the environment will thank you!
Resources:• EPA Electronics Environmental Benefits
Calculator—http://www.federalelectron-icschallenge.net/resources/bencalc.htm;
• Fedora Project—http://fedoraproject.org;• Not so green computing: Is Windows
and energy hog?—http://blogs.comput-erworld.com/node/6283;
• True or False: Switching from a Windows-operated computer to a Linux-operated one could slash computer-generated e-waste levels by 50 percent—http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/03/ecomyth.ewaste/index.html;
• Intel Less Watts Project—http://www.lesswatts.org;
• I BM B ig G re e n L i n u x — h t t p : / /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_ Big_Green
• OpenOffice.org—http://openoffice.org;
• Mozilla Firefox—http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox;
• Adobe Reader —http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html;
• Tux4Kids Project—http://www.geekco-mix.com/tux4kids;
• KDE Education Project—http://edu.kde.org;
• GCompris—http://gcompris.net.
Jim Klein is the director of informa-tion services and technology, LPIC1, C N A /C N E 4 - 6 , R HC T/ R HC E for Saugus Union School District. He can be contacted at [email protected].
In summer of 2008, San Rafael City Schools com-pleted a move to paperless school board meetings. A cost analysis determined that the benefits: sav-
ings on paper, binders, printing supplies and staff time, would outweigh the costs. The move would reduce the environmental footprint of the district, increase the level of communication with our com-munity, and save money as well. This article will provide an overview of where the district started, outline the moves that were made to prepare for the shift, look at some of the environmental and cost savings the district continues to reap, and wrap up with a mention of paperless initiatives being pursued by individual school sites.
The board of education for San Rafael City Schools provides oversight for an elementary and a high school district that serves 11 schools and more than 5,000 students. There are 17 scheduled board meetings and a handful of unscheduled meetings in a typical school year. In the past, 50 “board pack-ets” averaging 200 sheets of paper each would be prepared for distribution to school board members, the superintendent, cabinet members, two student representatives, district principals, and those in the community who requested them. An extra board packet would be prepared for audience members to review.
The move to paperless board meetings followed a carefully designed plan that included increased technology access and training for all participants. First, a secure Web-based portal was found for posting agendas, minutes, board items, supporting documentation and board policies. A set of laptops was purchased for board members to use at meetings. It was agreed that a projector would be used to show
agendas and documentation and could also be used for presentations.
Fortunately, this process began at a time when the district boardroom was undergoing remodeling, so the plans included installation of a mounted projec-tor, screen, 12 Ethernet drops and two VGA outlets. In late spring of 2008, the final implementation steps included training for the superintendent’s executive assistant, as well as cabinet and staff members who prepare board items. In July, board members received training in how to use the laptops and access the Web-based system.
Prior to the move to paperless board meetings, preparation of board packets was typically a pro-cess that required three full days of staff time for the executive assistant, two days work for another assistant, and one day for a third assistant. Though board members’ binders were reused regularly, the printed materials for the board packets averaged 200 sheets of paper each. Since 50 of these were printed, at least 10,000 sheets of paper were consumed for each scheduled meeting. This number does not account for mistakes in the copying process or board items that had to be revised after initial printing. It also does not count paper used for the unscheduled meetings that were held each year.
Over the course of a year, board meeting prepara-tions used at least 170,000 sheets of paper, this equals 340 reams, or about 20 trees. The superintendent’s executive assistant, Laura Milholland, says that making the board items available on the Internet has also made our community feel better informed. She has had a noticeable reduction in phone calls related to board business, and those who do call are often asking clarification questions about what they have
By Sarah Zykanov
The Paperless School Board
14 DataBus • Summer 2009
found online. Many callers express appre-ciation for having so much information available. In the past, callers would request copies of board information and policies that would be reproduced and sent out in the mail. But those requests have virtually stopped. Clearly this project has saved envi-ronmental resources, money, and staff time and has improved communications with district stakeholders.
It should be noted that Internet systems have also allowed our schools to greatly reduce paper consumption. Online atten-dance, e-mail instead of printed memos for staff, posting of newsletters and the “weekly packet” on school Web sites, all these efforts are paying off in increased communication with reduced environmental costs. It is important to note that these measures were not pursued until every classroom had Inter-net access and a reliable computer.
Two of our schools have piloted an initia-tive to put the weekly packet to parents in an electronic format. These schools wanted to ensure that all families would continue to receive notices from the school; so the classroom teachers did a survey to determine which families needed a printed copy of school notices. One school found that only 42 packets needed to be printed each week for a school that serves almost 400 students. Since packets contain six to eight sheets of paper, this adds up to a savings of about four reams of paper each week, saving another 8 trees in a typical school year.
I am sure that many of the paperless practices outlined in this article are being pursued by school districts around the country, but it’s important to recognize and affirm the savings being made in using these practices. These practices save time, increase communication, help the environment and save money. If you would like to calculate some of your district’s environmental sav-ings, try the following online resources: https://www.rainforestmaker.org/rain/php/calculator.php and http://www.ibuydiffer-ent.org/takeaction/explanation.asp
Sarah Zykanov is a curriculum and technology mentor teacher who facilitates the district Technology Advisory Council for San Rafael City Schools. She is also adjunct faculty in the School of Education for Dominican University of California. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Her blog is located at http://web.mac.com/szykanov Special thanks to SRCS Super-intendent, Dr. Mike Watenpaugh, and his executive assistant, Laura Milholland, for help with this article.
It should be noted that Internet systems
have also allowed our schools to greatly
reduce paper consumption.
Summer 2009 • DataBus 15
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Ph: (661) 716-1840
Fax: (661) 716-1841
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A simple headline in the May 1 issue of Tech & Learning magazine sums up this article’s theme: textbook deathwatch.
The provocative title accompanied data from Project Tomorrow’s latest Speak Up survey, which indicated that students are more willing to leave paper behind. The study claims that 29 percent of middle- and high-school students are using some kind of online textbook or curriculum.
Twenty years ago, many of my friends believed that as computers and word processors became more prevalent, the amount of paper consumed by our schools would decrease. After all, having a computer to draft, write and edit work would seem to negate the need for large caches of printer paper.
While technology allowed us to improve the quality of our work, our need to print at every stage created the opposite effect. Instead of printing just a final version of our work, many of my friends and colleagues (myself included) print multiple drafts in our quest for the per-fect document. Technology certainly has improved our writing quality as it enables the ability to continually revise and improve.
It’s difficult to pin technology as the cause of the rapid rise in textbook size, though. One could make a case that with the advent of the content standards revolution in the late 1990s, textbook publishers were forced to push more content into their books. The 1999 Earth Science textbook from Holt, Reinhart and Winston spanned
616 pages, but the 2004 version of the same book weighed in at 799 pages, a 30-percent increase in size. However, a scan of textbook growth in other decades shows otherwise. The 1987 version of Exploring World History by Globe Book Company had 686 pages, while the 1994 version increased by 10 percent to 752 pages. 1984’s Explore People & Nation by Houghton Mifflin started at 520 pages, but ended up four years later with 611 pages. Regardless of the cause, student textbooks have continued their increase in size and weight for at least the last three decades.
There are many reasons to leave printed textbooks behind, though, beginning with the shear size and weight of current books. However, the six-year textbook adop-tion cycle also freezes content in time and space. When science books were last adopted in 2006, Pluto was still a planet. Our students won’t see this information change until the next science adoption in 2012. The State Board of Education certainly has a valid concern that the content they approve should stay consistent during the adoption, but a digital textbook would more easily allow new facts, like the election of a new president or the discovery of a new element, to be presented to our students sooner.
The greatest argument for digital textbooks, though, may be the cost factor. According to the National Association of College Stores, 33 percent of a college textbook cost can be attributed to printing and freight costs. When you account for overhead, most experts
By Brian Bridges
Death by Printing: The Rise of Digital Textbooks
16 DataBus • Summer 2009
state that publishers could charge no more than half the current paper-based price.
County offices of education would ben-efit from this revolution. Learning Resource Display Centers (LRDC), large collections of adopted textbooks in all subjects for all grades, would no longer be a necessary feature of our county offices. Consider the square footage required to house a textbook collection as well as the extra space needed to house materials that have been submitted for adoption. Then take into account the labor spent in shipping, unpacking, and organizing these books, as well as remov-ing older texts from the selves. Add in the square footage you have to set aside so that school teams can compare textbooks and collaborate about curriculum.
LRDCs may become unnecessary in a digital textbook world. If all selected textbooks were available as electronic downloads, district and school teams would no longer need to drive to their local LRDC, since they could download and view materials locally, saving travel expenses, time, and perhaps substitute costs. In return, county offices could better utilize staff and office space.
If we see the need for a digital textbook, why aren’t our students using them? Ten years ago, most of us couldn’t fathom that film would disappear, but disruptive innovations tend to destroy industries that don’t change. We are in such a place now with digital textbooks. They’ve been around awhile and perhaps they’ve been waiting for a “killer” e-book reader like Amazon’s Kindle. Not waiting for tra-ditional textbook publishers to take the lead, though, open source textbooks as well as clearinghouses to promote them, have sprung up around the world. Here are just a few.
CK-12 (http://ck12.org), a California non-profit, specializes in creating high-quality, open-source textbooks. It has created a new model, the Flexbook, where users can customize the content in their books. The Commonwealth of Virginia recently took advantage of CK-12 by creat-ing the “21st-century Physics” Flexbook to supplement their adopted physics text.
The Free High School Science Text-book project (http://www.fhsst.org/) is a University of Cape Town, South Africa initiative that has created physics, chemis-try and mathematics books for high school students.
Textbook Revolution (http://www.textbookrevolution.org) is a student-run site dedicated to increasing the use of free educational materials by teachers and professors. The volunteers have assembled links to a variety of textbooks, which are organized by subject.
Merlot, short for Multimedia Educa-tional Resource for Learning and Online
Teaching, is run by the California State University Chancellor’s Office. Merlot (http://www.merlot.org/ ) has compiled a list of more than 200 open-source college textbooks, many of which are appropriate for high school classrooms.
It should be no surprise, then, that California has taken the lead with their Free Digital Textbook Initiative, which will review and post free, standards-aligned, textbooks designed for high school science and mathematics classes. The digital text-
book revolution has already started and it promises to change everything.
Brian Bridges is director of the California Learning Resource Network, a statewide education technology service that reviews electronic learning resources, web infor-mation links, and data assessment tools. CLRN was responsible for reviewing free digital textbooks for the Governor’s initia-tive. Brian is also president of the Computer Using Educator’s board of directors.
Summer 2009 • DataBus 17
By Sara Armstrong, PhD
Today’s students will be the beneficiaries of green practices that start now. Their interest in climate change, factors affecting air, water,
health, conservation, and other environmental issues is immediate and pressing. A number of schools have been enlisting students in study and action for quite awhile. Here is a small sample of student engagement in the challenges and benefits of green practices.
River School, NapaWhen students from Napa Valley’s River School
first participated in the GenGreen Expo (dubbed the “Green Fair”), they learned about a variety of topics and met the event’s goal that “each of us, every day, can make a difference.”
Students and community businesses and orga-nizations presented ideas provided information and demonstrations on topics that ranged from energy consumption, re-use vs recycling waste, responsible water management, lowering indoor toxin levels to greenhouse gases and reducing our dependence on chemicals and pesticides. When asked what they learned from the Green Fair about being green, these were some of the responses:
• I learned that by unplugging electronic devices, I can save energy.
• Shortening your shower by just a little bit, can make a huge difference.
• Feral animals can pollute the environment.• Electronics can still be using energy when
they’re plugged in even if it’s not turned on.• Dog feces has a humongous impact on
the earth.• An aluminum can take 300 years to break
down if it’s not recycled.• Oil dumping is illegal and can result in a
prison term.• Plastic can be made out of corn and it will
be biodegradable.• We all need to take responsibility for our
choices and the impact those choices have on our environment and civilization.
After two years of participation in Green Fairs, River students still engage in green practices.
Recently, sixth graders landscaped the school’s courtyard, researching and employing “green learning” in the process, according to Linda Inlay, River School principal.
John Muir School, San diego“Muir students hike, garden, recycle, and
observe nature. Then they use those experiences to develop their academic skills. For the past seven years, Muir students have frequently shared out-door experiences with schools around the world,” according to Anne Lambert, library media teacher at John Muir. Indeed, in 2006, John Muir School won the Platinum Award in Global SchoolNet’s CyberFair Contest (<www.gsn.org/cf/>) in the area of environmental awareness. They developed a Web site titled “Muir Students Helping San Diego,” and answered these questions:
• How can we think globally and act locally?• How can we make the best use of our
limited resources?• What projects are addressing local issues
in San Diego today?• What more needs to be done?• What are the futures of our environ-
ment—possible, probable, preventable and preferred?
In their project narrative, Muir’s K-12 students explained that “CyberFair gave us a school-wide focus as we moved into our new campus this year.
Cue View
With a little bit of guidance, students work hard to make the world a better place.
18 DataBus • Summer 2009
We created organic gardens, participated in water monitoring, learned about local animals, and visited many parts of our county. We also participated in sci-ence fair and the iEARN International Daffodil and Tulip Project.” See the winning Web site at <www.muirlibraryk12.net/index.html>.
bel aire Elementary School, Tiburon
Bel Aire School’s “Got Sol?” project engaged students in studying solar power and reaping the benefits by eating a variety of dishes cooked with their solar ovens, including vegetables from the school’s Earth Boxes. Adapting a long-term project developed by Rowena Gerber at Miami Country Day School in Florida, the Bel Aire group hosted a Solar Fest, and continues their communications with children around the world on Solar Cooker science topics. Visit Bel Aire School at <rusd.marin.k12.ca.us/belaire> and view a film about Rowena Gerber and the solar cooking project (go to <www.myhero.com/myhero/go/filmfestival/screeningroom2.asp>, scroll down to “Rowena Ger-ber and the Solar Oven Project,” and decide which size you prefer to view).
Kids care and kids can make a difference. Provid-ing them with opportunities at home and school to learn about environmental issues—and actions they can take—empowers them. Let’s provide means for students to contribute to the health and safety of the world in which they are living.
Sara Armstrong, Ph.D., is a former classroom teacher and currently an educational consultant specializing in project-based learning, digital storytelling, and technology integration into the curriculum. She is a former CUE Board member and CUE Board President; Editor of CUE’s jour-nal, OnCUE; both a Gold Disk and Platinum Disk. She can be reached at [email protected]. The first iteration of this article appeared in Com-puter-Using Educator’s journal, OnCUE, in the Winter 2007 issue. Used with permission.
An Eclectic Collection of Green Resources
California School Garden Networkwww.csgn.org
Green Schools Initiativewww.greenschools.net
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomcfaitc.org
Natural Resources Defense Councilwww.nrdc.org
YouthCaNwww.youthcanworld.org
iEARNwww.iearn.org
Global SchoolNet Foundationwww.gsn.org
TakingITGlobalwww.tigweb.org
EPA Environmental Kids Clubwww.epa.gov/kids/
Kids For a Clean Environment (Kids F.A.C.E.)www.kidsface.org
Zoompbskids.org/zoom/activities/action/way04.html
National Institutes of Environmental Health SciencesNIEHS Kids’ Pageskids.niehs.nih.gov
Environmental Fun for Kidsheartsandminds.org/links/greenkids.htm
The MY HERO Project: Earthkeeperswww.myhero.com/myhero/go/directory/directory.asp?dir=earthkeeper
SOS Save Our Species2009 ThinkQuest First Place Winner, 12 and Under
You Be the Change2009 ThinkQuest Third Place Winner, 15 and Under
A Croak of Caution2009 ThinkQuest Third Place Winner, 12 and Under
Amazonia: Endangered Beauty2009 Honorable Mention Winner, 19 and Under
Earth: Project Protection2009 Honorable Mention Winner, 19 and Under
Cars of the Future2009 Honorable Mention Winner, 15 and Under
Flying Jewels 2009 Honorable Mention Winner, 15 and Under
Many other student ThinkQuest entries have addressed envi-ronmental concerns. Visit the ThinkQuest Library Web site at www.thinkquest.org/pls/html/think.library and search for “environment” for access to these projects.
Many of this year’s ThinkQuest contest winners address a variety of environmental issues. Visit www.thinkquest.org/library/winners/2009_website.html to get access to these sites:
Solar Cooker
Summer 2009 • DataBus 19
Your carbon footprint is part of your ecological footprint and represents the overall impact the activities that your organization has on the
environment. The larger your footprint, the greater the amount of greenhouse gases produced, which are measured in units of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Carbon emissions and changes in the climate are real concerns, and have resulted in increased pressure on organizations to adopt “go green” initia-tives. Governments have established mandates—and organizations are being offered incentives—to adopt environmentally friendly policies. Businesses are starting to realize that a responsible environmental policy not only provides a competitive advantage, but it also increases brand equity.
In light of global green initiatives, organizations are seeking ways to communicate sufficiently and be environmentally friendly at the same time. Per-sonal interaction among employees and customers is important and technology exists to allow face-to-face interaction at a distance. Decreasing the amount of travel is a viable option for organizations looking to lessen CO2 output.
In addition to increasing productivity and cut-ting travel costs, collaborative conferencing tools, using voice, video and Web are green technologies that can be used to reduce carbon emissions. These technologies can help an organization become more sensitive to the environment and reduce the negative impact of travel. Using collaborative technologies such as voice, video, and Web con-ferencing can be deployed to help organizations “go green.”
In an educational setting, it may not be read-ily apparent how collaborative tools can be used so examples are provided below. Over the years, cost-cutting measures have negatively impacted the ability to take students on field trips. With the use of collaborative technologies such as videocon-
ferencing, the model has shifted to bringing the experts to the classroom rather than the students to the experts. There are numerous programs that offer educational content for use in the classroom and the kids don’t have to leave their seats.
The PORTS program from the California State Parks is a great example of an organization that has content ready to bring to the students. Students can experience tide pools and underwater diving at Crystal Cove, the Paleontology Lab in Borrego Springs, or the State Capitol for a visit with a local legislative representative. PORTS brings this wealth of information directly into the classroom, all at no cost!
Participation in professional development (PD) opportunities or meetings with collaborative tech-nologies is another way of getting a double dose of being green. Avoiding travel to a central location for PD or meetings reduces the carbon emissions created by traveling to that location. It also saves district greenbacks (cash) by eliminating the costs for travel. In our current budget crisis, saving green is just as important as being environmentally green.
The K12 High Speed network offers videocon-ferencing services to help you be green including, bridging services, recording, and live streaming. If you have any questions about videoconferencing please contact them or visit their Web site at http://www.k12hsn.org. Information about the PORTS program can be found at http://www.ports.parks.ca.gov. Excepts for this article have been contrib-uted courtesy of Polycom, and their Go Green Service Program, http://www.polycom.com.
Alan Phillips is the technical services manager for the Imperial County Office of Education working with the California K-12 High Speed Network. He can be reached at (760) 312-6158 or [email protected].
A Double Dose of Green with Conferencing Technologies
By Alan Phillips
20 DataBus • Summer 2009
V irtualization has been the hot topic the past couple of years. In late 2007, districts with some type of virtualization in place were
generally using VMWare. I proposed the move to VMWare ESX a couple of times, but could not justify the costs to do so.
In early 2008, Microsoft (MS) released their Hyper-V Release Candidate version as their first hypervisor-based server virtualization platform. Around the same time, news came to light that California was facing a major state budget shortfall, and many school districts were starting to budget cut. I scrapped the dreams of VMWare ESX and started to look into the potential of MS Hyper-V.
Consider the great benefits of using MS Hyper-V, licensing. MS Server 2008 Datacenter allows the ability to run unlimited number of Windows Server instances. Consider the savings in licensing if one were to run eight to 10 instances of Windows Server per physical machine. A small school district, such as Ocean View, can come close to consolidating almost every service we need on just four physical servers and only have to license four MS Windows Server 2008 Datacenter. My only hope was that it was good as it was hyped up to be.
In April and May of 2008, two physical servers were put into a test environment. Hyper-V was officially released in June 2008, and Ocean View deployed these servers into production one month later. Two additional physical servers were deployed in December 2008.
Jumping right into Hyper-V was not a walk in the park. Installation is best done on MS Windows 2008 Server Core, a minimal server installation option providing low maintenance server environ-ment with reduced attack surface. Upon logging into MS Windows 2008 Server Core, you are faced with a command prompt user interface. For some, it may be a reminiscent of the old MS-DOS days. It is, however, a whole new world of commands to learn. Configuration of network settings, computer name, domain membership, and firewall, all must be done through the command prompt. Also, has anyone ever tried to install device drivers via the command prompt?
Once the above has been said and done, Hyper-V can now be installed. Management is done from a
remote computer running MS Windows Server 2008 or MS Windows Vista. For those of you wondering why I run MS Windows Vista on my laptop, now you know. It is then when one can start creating multiple virtual machines.
Once a few of my virtual servers were set up, I needed a way to manage them. This is where MS System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) comes into play. VMM works together with MS System Center Operations Manager 2007 to provide Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO). This, along with other features, provides a central-ized library of all virtual hosts and servers to allow management and scalability of virtual server and server clusters as needed. These two Microsoft solu-tions become another journey by itself in learning new management tools as well as Microsoft’s Pow-erShell command line shell and scripting language.
Before this journey, Ocean View School District had 14 physical servers, with a few of them using VMWare’s free virtualization solution. This solu-tion does not provide efficient virtualization of servers in terms of manageability, scalability, and performance. Today, Ocean View School District has the same 14 physical servers, but with four of them being Hyper-V capable, those four physical servers now run Hyper-V with 15 virtual servers that account for over two-thirds of all our applica-tions and services. We were also able to take three servers offline in the process and will utilize them for other purposes.
Looking back at the decisions that had to be made, and with more news that school districts will have to make more budget cuts for 2009-2010 school year, our district has not looked back going with Microsoft Hyper-V. If you are in a school dis-trict looking at virtualization, consider Hyper-V as a truly viable solution. Although its live migration, high availability, and dynamic resources features are not as strong as VMWare at this point, Hyper-V can certainly hold its own.
Charles Poovakan, CCTO, is the systems admin-istrator with the Ocean View School District in Oxnard, CA and can be reached at [email protected].
22 DataBus • Summer 2009
Ocean View School District’s Journey with Hyper-V
By Charles Poovakan
By Dr. Jeffrey Frost
On May 19, California’s voters sent a strong mes-sage to our legislative leaders and the Governor indicating a complete lack of confidence in the
budget solutions that had been negotiated in Febru-ary. With a very low voter turnout of 23 percent of registered voters casting ballots—compared to the 79 percent that voted in the recent November presidential election—the only measure that the voters seemed to support was Proposition 1F that would prevent legis-lators from getting their salaries if there is no budget passed on time.
Faced with an overwhelming rejection of these measures and the $12 billion in new taxes now set to end in April 2011, legislators and the Governor have almost no where to turn but to unprecedented cuts in virtually ever state-funded program.
Governor moves up may Revision to the budget
As a part of the February 2008 deal, the legislature passed the 2009-10 annual budget months early. How-ever, because of the precipitous drop in state revenues, the Governor decided to unveil his May Revision to the Budget prior to the May election in the hope that the bad news would spur voters to support his ballot proposals. It did not work. Because Propositions 1A-E did not pass, the Governor’s “worse case” option was realized. His May Revise proposed total reduc-tions to school funding of $5.3 billion. This includes a $1.31 cut to revenue limits for 2008-09 and a $1.375 revenue limit cut for 2009-10. (Note that these cuts are in addition to those already made to the 2008-09 and 2009-10 budgets in the February cuts.)
Governor Recommends Deeper CutsJust days after the bad news of the special election,
Governor Schwarzenegger presented a new round of budget cuts totaling $5.5 billion on Thursday, May 21. In unveiling these cuts, the Governor stated that he had heard the voters “loud and clear” and would bal-ance the budget with cuts alone. Anna Montesantos, Deputy Director of Finance, presented the proposed cuts to the Legislature’s Budget Conference Com-mittee and indicated that the state would eliminate support for Healthy Families, a program that provides health insurance to hundreds of thousands of low-income children, CalWORKS, and make larger cuts in both the University of California and the California State University systems, eliminate the Cal Grant pro-gram and likely end all state General Fund support of the state’s park system.
legislative Analyst Paints Grim PictureIn his review of the Governor’s May Revision,
Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor raised concerns over the administration’s proposal, but these questions paled in comparison with the crisis still looming one year out, in 2010-11. Taylor said that his office believes the administration’s state revenue picture is slightly over optimistic by approximately $3 billion, but noted that the higher amount is still “a reasonable estimate, definitely within the ballpark.” He did have some concerns, however, about some of the specific components of the May Revise, specifically:
over Reliance on one-Time solutionsTaylor said about $12 billion of the May Revision’s
$21 billion in solutions are one-time in nature. Taylor said the Legislature’s challenge is too enormous to totally avoid one-time solutions in bridging the gap.
“They can’t in my view,” he said, but he recom-mended the Legislature to “minimize one-time solutions” and maximize ongoing fixes in order to moderate the out-year crisis.
Risky assumptionsThe LAO is concerned that the assumptions used by
the Governor for revenue augmentations or savings in 2009-10, such as $1 billion from the sale of the State Compensation Insurance Fund and $750 million in savings from MediCal, which would require federal approval are far too risky to use.
Relying on borrowingThe May Revise relies on borrowing to solve ongo-
ing budget problems, to the tune of $5.5 billion. Taylor said borrowing is a clearly appropriate response to cash-flow problems, but not to close budgetary prob-lems. Regarding 2010-11, Taylor said that California is facing a $15-billion structural deficit even if “each and every one” of the administration’s draconian May Revision Budget proposals is adopted, “and that problem gets even worse in the out years following.”
Finally, he stated that the Legislature needs to come up with a plan as quickly as possible, in a matter of weeks, to forestall the cash-flow crisis looming this summer, as no one will loan California money until its fiscal house is in better order.
longer Term Risk for K-14 educationAs the LAO noted, and education advocates have
begun to realize, the cuts being proposed by the Gov-ernor for the 2009-10 fiscal year will likely be offset
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
State Budget Dilemma Worsens….Again: Voters Reject Ballot Measures
Summer 2009 • DataBus 25
by some borrowing and the federal stimulus funding can cover significant portions of immediate shortfall. However, the 2010-11 fiscal year will likely be incredibly difficult with possible K-14 cuts of an additional $5 billion on top of those outlined for 2009-10.
The Governor’s budget does rely on a number of one-time fixes and borrowing as the LAO has pointed out. Additionally, the increased state taxes, which began in April 2009, will end in April 2011—midway
though the 2010-11 fiscal year. This reduc-tion of revenue will also have a significant impact on the Prop 98 guarantee in the out years. The question for 2010-11 is how low the Proposition 98 guarantee may drop if the economy continues to decline, the new state revenues and federal stimulus funds end.
The level of the Prop 98 guarantee is of significant concern because the state owes schools $6.3 billion in deferred payments in 2010-11. Between the deferrals from the P2
shift (June payment being made in July), and the shifts from May to June and February to July, there is significant liability for schools if the guarantee drops or if the state’s cash flow is so precarious that these payments cannot be made.
Will the legislature Act in a Timely Manner?
The Big Five and Budget Conference committee are already at work and there is every indication (at the time of this writ-ing of article) that revisions to the budget would occur prior to June 30, which is the end of the fiscal year. If nothing else, the action to reduce the Prop 98 guarantee for the 2008-09 fiscal year must happen for the state to ensure the savings from this action. This crisis is a watershed moment for our political leaders. California has not faced a fiscal crisis of this magnitude since the 1920s and the public service needs were not as extensive or complicated as they are now. If our leaders do not act by mid July 2009, it is highly likely that the state will become insolvent and unable to pay its bills and enter into short-term borrowing common to all governmental entities.
What Will our school look like After These Cuts?
To say these are challenging times is an understatement. As the legislature and Governor works toward solutions, they must also consider what it wants school districts to look like for the next several years. Will we shorten the school year, cut employee salaries or eliminate an array of categorical programs? In less than two fiscal years, our K-12 schools will be forced to absorb almost $15 billion in cuts and deferrals. Will the state keep offering funding for K through 3 class-size reduction, while every other support mechanism is all but eliminated and scores of teachers are laid off? Will we eliminate the need for the purchase of textbooks? These are not questions neither policymakers nor educators have ever had to consider. We can only hope that we have the level of leadership needed to get us through this difficult period.
Dr. Jeffrey W. Frost is CETPA’s legisla-tive consultant. The addition of his services is part of CETPA board initiatives intended to improve the delivery of critical infor-mation related to California technology initiatives to the CETPA membership. Dr. Frost has a wide-ranging background in academia, legislative advocacy, and public policy development and more than 20 years of experience lobbying the California State Legislature on behalf of school districts and education associations.
26 DataBus • Summer 2009
Are you CIPA compliant? Sounds like a pretty clear question, but I am amazed how many school district personnel I
talk to who don’t know if they are or are not CIPA compliant. Since many school districts started the CIPA process almost 10 years ago, it’s not unusual for a new incoming technology director to not know if her/his district is compliant, and if so, was it done correctly.
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was enacted on December 21, 2000. It requires schools/libraries that receive federal technology funds to comply with certain Internet filtering and policy require-ments. Furthermore, schools/libraries that receive E-rate funding also must meet the Internet safety policies of the Neighbor-hood Children’s Internet Protection Act (NCIPA) that addresses the broader issues of electronic messaging, disclosure of per-sonal information of minors, and unlawful online activities.
Recently, Congress passed the Protect-ing Children in the 21st Century Act on October 10, 2008, which adds an additional Internet safety policy requirement covering the education of minors about appropriate online behavior including interacting with other individuals on social networking Web sites and in chat rooms and cyber bullying awareness and response. On October 28, 2008, the California legislature passed AB 86, which makes it clear that electronic acts can constitute a suspendable or expellable act without related, spoken, or physical actions. For more information on AB 98,
refer to California Ed Code 48900 (r). So, what do you need to be compliant?Filtering: CIPA requires the implementa-
tion of a “technology protection measure” (Internet filter) to block access to depictions deemed “obscene,” “child pornography,” or “harmful to minors.” For E-rate purposes, the FCC has not established any standards with regard to the type of effectiveness of Internet filters required for CIPA compli-ance and leave this decision to local schools/libraries.
Internet Safety Policy: Along with filter-ing and “monitoring the online activities of minors” NCIPA also requires these five components:• Access by minors to inappropriate matter
on the Internet and World Wide Web;• The safety and security of minors when
using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic commu-nications (including instant messaging);
• Unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking” and other unlawful activities by minors online;
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dis-semination of personal identification information regarding minors; and
• Measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors.
• The Internet Safety Policy should also address these areas:
• The policy should apply to both minors and adults;
• The policy should specify use of an Internet filtering mechanism to block obscenity, child pornography, and infor-
mation harmful to minors;The policy should emphasize staff
responsibilities in educating minors on appropriate online behavior and in supervis-ing such activities; and
The policy should address the NCIPA issues for minors (see above).
Prior to adoption, CIPA requires that “reasonable public notice” and “at least one public hearing or meeting” be held to address the proposed Internet Safety Policy. I highly suggest you print a copy of the public notice and the board minutes where the policy was approved and put them in your E-rate files.
As mentioned above, we suggest you also include your policies and procedures how you are going to comply with the Protecting Children in the 21st-century Act to include measures for educating minors about appro-priate online behavior.
When E-rate auditors come on site, they will also want to see that; (1) your Internet filtering system in operation and/or certi-fication from your provider who may be providing filtering to the district that the system is working, and; (2) a report or veri-fication that the filter was working for years being audited. They will also go onto one or more of your school sites and verify that they can’t access inappropriate Web sites. Since E-rate auditors usually are auditing E-rate projects that are at least a couple years back and as long as five years back, we suggest you print up a usage or denial report the first day of the E-rate funding year and the last day of the funding year each year and
By Fred Brakeman
E-rate Update
are You (Really) cIPa compliant?
continued on page 29
Summer 2009 • DataBus 27
2009 CETPA Call for Speakers
“Leadership When It Counts”
November 17-20, 2009 – San Diego, CA
CETPA invites you to participate in the 2009 Speaker Sessions “Leadership When It Counts”
It is essential during these difficult financial times that California’s Educational Technologists continue to explore cost reduction strategies while maintaining, improving and expanding
services to support the schools, districts and county offices educating our children.
Many of us are challenged with maintaining and even expanding capabilities in tight budget times. CETPA would like to invite you to help your fellow educators this year by creating “Leadership When It Counts” speaker sessions. This is your opportunity to share ideas, practices and solutions that can assist educational institutions. Submit your Speaker Registration using the New CETPA website at:
http://reg.cetpa-k12.org/pub/htdocs/2009-speaker-registration.html
Please extend the invitation to any speaker who has information valuable to our membership or send us their name. If you or your group are planning a statewide event and would like to discuss joint sessions, please email [email protected]. Select a one-hour or two-hour presentation. Breakout rooms can typically seat 40-50 conference attendees. Popular sessions can accommodate up to 100 attendees. A projector and Internet access will be provided. CETPA also offers roundtable discussions. If you have an idea for a roundtable, please submit it with suggestions of participants. If a vendor would like to sponsor a roundtable session where they construct the content, please indicate this on the registration form. Please use “Roundtable” as the first word in the title. This year CETPA will continue with its four strands of technical and educational knowledge:
♦ Secure, Reliable Infrastructure ♦ Technology Tools for Education ♦ Policy and Programs that Impact Education and Technology ♦ New Learning Environments
We are very interested in hearing your experiences that you believe would benefit our attendees. Here are a few popular topics: - Networking - Total Cost of Ownership - Business or Student Information Sys - Emerging Technologies - VPN Deployment - Help Desk Software - Student Assessment Sys - Team Building - ATM or Gigabit Ethernet Implementation
- Open Source - Information Security and
- Data Mining, Warehousing and Analysis
- Mobile Professionals - Intranet/Web
- Firewall Design and Implementation
Support - Cost Reduction Strategies
- Instructional Technology (Non-Curriculum)
Development
Contact Sandy Ching, this year’s Speaker Chairperson, by email at [email protected] if you have ideas for extended sessions or just need information you cannot find on the new CETPA website.
28 DataBus • Summer 2009
file it in your E-rate files. I would suggest, if you do not know for sure if your district/
library is CIPA compliant, to go back through your old board minutes and verify that you are, in fact, compliant. If you cannot verify that this process has been followed, I suggest you start this process immediately. Even if you are, you may want to dust it off and update the policy to make provision for the new cyber-bullying legislation that was passed in 2008, plus any updates you have done since the original plan was approved and then have your board re-affirm the policy at an upcoming board meeting. Obviously, you would want to make copies of this information as well and file it away.
If you are starting from scratch, assuming your district is a member of the California School Board Association (CSBA), CSBA has a policy that you can download off of their Web site. It’s a good place to start. I find your fellow tech directors are always willing to help and assist as well and will share their work if you ask. If you are not part of the CETPA listserve, subscribe today!
My thanks to our friends at E-rate Central who provided some of the material used in this article.
Fred Brakeman is president of Infinity Communications &
Consulting, Inc, a full-service consulting firm including E-rate/CTF and Microsoft Ed Tech K-12 consulting, technology design services, and low voltage construction management and inspec-tion services serving approximately 15 percent of all the school districts and county offices of education in California. Infinity Communications & Consulting is located in Bakersfield, Califor-nia. He can be reached at [email protected], office phone (661) 716-1840, or via mail at P.O. Box 6069, Bakersfield, California 93386. Please visit www.infinitycomm.com.
E-RATE UPDATEcontinued from page 27
resource Guide & Advertiser’s Index
30 DataBus • Summer 2009
c INNOVaTION/ZaNGLEZangle
(800) 230-2533www.zangle.comPlease see our ad on page ......................................... 7
cOMPUTERSnComputing
(650) 517-5827www.ncomputing.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 11
DATA InTeGRATIon/neTWoRKMaNaGEMENT aNd INTEGRaTION SOLUTIONSCPSi LTD
(800) 659-8240www.cpsiltd.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 13
ERaTE/cTF cONSULTaNT - TEcHNOLOGY dESIGN SERVIcESinfinity Communications & Consulting
(661) 716-1840www.infinitycomm.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 15
K-12 FInAnCIAl & HumAn ResouRCesENTERPRISE RESOURcES PLaNNING SOFTwaREWindsor Management Group
(888) 654-3293www.InfiniteVisions.com/CETPAPlease see our ad on page ......................................... 3
neTWoRK mAnAGemenT AnD INTEGRaTION SOLUTIONSExtreme networks
(888) 257-3000www.extremenetworks.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 29
ViP TOnE/Alcatel-Lucent(866) 901-8663www.viptone.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 15
soFTWARe neTWoRKInGLightspeed Systems
(877) 447-6244www.lightspeedsystems.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 17
nComputing(650) 517-5827www.ncomputing.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 11
SOLUTIONS PROVIdERXiT Solutions
www.xitsolutions.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 26
Decotech(800) 597-0757www.decotech.comPlease see our ad on page ..........................Back Cover
Western Blue(800) 660-0430www.westernblue.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 31
STUdENT INFORMaTION SYSTEMSEagle Software
(888) 487-7555www.aeries.comPlease see our ad on page ......................................... 2
iST, inc.(866) 266-6364www.ist.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 24
Sungard Public Sector(866) 905-8989www.sungardps.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 23
Tyler Technologies(800) 772-2260www.tylertech.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 11
TERRESTRIaL MIcROwaVESun Wireless
(760) 749-5770www.sunmicrowave.comPlease see our ad on page ......................................... 9
TROXELL cOMMUNIcaTIONSTroxell Communications
(800) 578-8858www.trox.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 29
TuRnKey TeCHnoloGy soluTIons aNd cURRIcULUM INTEGRaTIONiVS Computer Technology
(877) 945-3900 or (661) 831-3900www.ivsct.netPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 21
USER accOUNT MaNaGEMENTAdvanced Toolware
(888) 770-4242www.advtoolware.comPlease see our ad on page ......................................... 4
WIReless neTWoRKInGViP TOnE/Alcatel-Lucent
(866) 901-8663www.viptone.comPlease see our ad on page ....................................... 15
Please support the advertisers that have made this publication possible
ad INdEX
Advanced Toolware ...................................... 4
CPSi LTD .................................................... 13
Decotech ......................................Back Cover
Eagle Software .............................................. 2
Extreme networks .................................... 29
infinity Communications & Consulting ....... 15
iST, inc. ....................................................... 24
iVS Computer Technology .......................... 21
Lightspeed Systems .................................... 17
nComputing............................................... 11
Sun Wireless ................................................. 9
Sungard Public Sector ................................. 23
Troxell Communications ............................. 29
Tyler Technologies ...................................... 11
ViP TOnE/Alcatel-Lucent .......................... 15
Western Blue .............................................. 31
Windsor Management Group ....................... 3
XiT Solutions .............................................. 26
Zangle ........................................................... 7
30 DataBus • Summer 2009
