HB227

ENROLLED, An Act,

To make a supplemental appropriation from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund to the Department of Education in the amount of $12,014,402 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016; and to require the Department to establish an advisory committee to assist in the implementation of the Wi-Fi infrastructure.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:

Section 1. In addition to all other appropriations heretofore or hereafter made, there is hereby appropriated $12,014,402 from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. This appropriation shall be expended to: (1) provide funds to complete the goal of providing wireless networks in all public schools or (2) provide E-Rate matching funds to local school systems that apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E-Rate program for funds to accomplish the goal of providing wireless networks in all public schools or (3) provide funds to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan for any local school system with wireless networks in place that meet required standards.

Section 2. (a) The Department of Education shall ensure that each local school system receive the designated funds under the following restrictions:

(1) Any system participating in this program that does not have wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, but are able to do so using their allotted funds, may use these funds for this purpose.

(2) Any system participating in this program that does not have wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, and which is unable to meet these standards using their allotted funds alone must apply for E-Rate funds if such funds are available and if they meet all other applicable conditions of the E-Rate program.

(3) Any system participating in this program that has wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, may use their allotted funds to implement their local school system's state-approved technology plan.

(b) The Department of Education shall utilize the standards established in the Wireless Infrastructure Renovation for Education (WIRED) Plan, developed, validated and approved by the Alabama Education Technology Association (AETA), for determining which systems meet the goal of implementing high speed, standards-based Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) in all schools. Such WLANs are the first priority of this program. The funds provided for each system shall be based on a distribution formula based on enrollment and founded on the WIRED cost model.

Section 3. The Department of Education shall allocate the funds appropriated herein to the local school systems as follows:

Alabaster City $99,643 Albertville City 83,806 Alexander City 50,191 Andalusia City 27,711 Anniston City 31,937 Arab City 40,587 Athens City 63,742 Attalla City 26,938 Auburn City 135,477 Autauga County 157,185 Baldwin County 497,161 Barbour County 14,077 Bessemer City 60,980 Bibb County 53,661 Birmingham City 394,854 Blount County 129,425 Boaz City 36,755 Brewton City 18,846 Bullock County 24,257 Butler County 49,369 Calhoun County 146,874 Chambers County 59,302 Cherokee County 64,910 Chickasaw City 16,511 Chilton County 125,594 Choctaw County 24,290 Clarke County 44,271 Clay County 32,348 Cleburne County 42,462 Coffee County 33,450 Colbert County 41,278 Conecuh County 23,402 Coosa County 16,314 Covington County 51,375 Crenshaw County 35,950 Cullman City 51,244 Cullman County 156,297 Dale County 50,635 Daleville City 17,728 Dallas County 52,510 Decatur City 138,602 DeKalb County 145,460 Demopolis City 37,068 Dothan City 152,646 Elba City 9,966 Elmore County 180,982 Enterprise City 111,911 Escambia County 73,363 Etowah County 143,503 Eufaula City 44,255 Fairfield City 29,289 Fayette County 38,088 Florence City 73,560 Fort Payne City 51,326 Franklin County 53,957 Gadsden City 83,312 Geneva City 20,968 Geneva County 44,008 Greene County 18,698 Guntersville City 32,217 Hale County 42,791 Haleyville City 27,678 Hartselle City 49,238 Henry County 41,179 Homewood City 65,913 Hoover City 227,687 Houston County 103,639 Huntsville City 374,363 Jackson County 89,743 Jacksonville City 24,685 Jasper City 44,255 Jefferson County 591,837 Lamar County 37,315 Lanett City 13,896 Lauderdale County 134,803 Lawrence County 77,507 Lee County 160,392 Leeds City 30,227 Limestone County 142,927 Linden City 8,223 Lowndes County 25,474 Macon County 34,206 Madison City 162,069 Madison County 310,999 Marengo County 17,301 Marion County 55,701 Marshall County 90,137 Midfield City 18,567 Mobile County 924,889 Monroe County 57,970 Montgomery County 497,309 Morgan County 125,857 Mountain Brook City 71,883 Muscle Shoals City 47,297 Oneonta City 24,290 Opelika City 69,597 Opp City 21,412 Oxford City 67,952 Ozark City 34,470 Pelham City 49,895 Pell City 65,995 Perry County 24,257 Phenix City 112,865 Pickens County 43,301 Piedmont City 19,850 Pike County 35,111 Pike Road City 18,172 Randolph County 35,802 Roanoke City 24,306 Russell County 59,072 Russellville City 44,452 Saraland City 48,432 Satsuma City 21,511 Scottsboro City 41,706 Selma City 58,266 Sheffield City 16,741 Shelby County 329,546 St. Clair County 146,068 Sumter County 26,198 Sylacauga City 36,443 Talladega City 33,434 Talladega County 126,860 Tallapoosa County 47,017 Tallassee City 29,996 Tarrant City 18,962 Thomasville City 21,560 Troy City 32,085 Trussville City 73,281 Tuscaloosa City 164,865 Tuscaloosa County 296,922 Tuscumbia City 24,948 Vestavia Hills City 114,296 Walker County 124,146 Washington County 48,284 Wilcox County 27,826 Winfield City 20,442 Winston County 39,288

$12,014,402

Section 4. (a) The school systems participating in this program shall pursue obtaining additional funding from the FCC E-Rate program in order to help complete these wireless networks, wherever practicable. Therefore, distribution of and use of the allocated funds will be subject to the following provisions:

(1) For school systems that have met the standards established herein or that are in the process of installing the equipment necessary to fully meet these standards and which have approved 2015 Category 2 E-Rate applications which included in their funding request, in whole or in part, the establishment of these wireless networking in schools. If local funds were used as the match for these Category 2 E-Rate applications to accomplish this goal, then the funds allotted herein may be used, in whole or in part, to reimburse local school systems that moved forward with local funds. Any funds not applied to that purpose may be used to implement their local school system state-approved technology plan.

(2) For school systems that have not met the standards established herein and which have pending Category 2 E-Rate applications which will either advance or complete the wireless networks according to the standards established herein. If systems were not able to provide the local match for these E-Rate applications once approved, then the funds allotted herein may be used for the local match required by E-Rate to the extent that the amount of funds used for the match are in proportion to the cost of the wireless equipment contained in the E-Rate application. Any remaining funds may be used as matching funds for additional E-Rate applications to meet the standards described in the WIRED Plan.

(3) For school systems that do not fully meet the WIRED standards, but which are able to do so using their allotment without obtaining additional funding from the E-Rate program. Upon approval by the Department, these systems may use their allotment to complete their wireless networks without applying for E-Rate funding and may use remaining funds to implement their local school system state-approved technology plan.

(4) For school systems that do not fully meet the standards established herein which cannot complete the goal without additional funding, and which are eligible to apply for E-Rate funds to this purpose. These systems must submit an E-Rate application for Category 2 funding to assist in the establishment of the wireless networks and shall provide evidence of this application in the form of an E-Rate Form 471 application certification notice from the FCC to the Department of Education prior to expending funds from this program. The E-Rate 471 application must include WLAN equipment that meets or exceeds the standards established herein and which is also covered under the E-Rate Category 2 program. Program funds issued under these conditions shall be used for the E-Rate local match for the applicable E-Rate funding cycle. Any amount of program funding that exceeds the amount needed for the E-Rate match may be used to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan, provided that the wireless networks established with the E-Rate funds meet the standards established herein.

(5) For school systems that have met the standards established herein. Upon verification of submission of purchase orders or any other supporting documents to the State Department of Education, funds will be approved and released to the school systems. These funds shall be used to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan.

(6) In all cases where program funds will be required to be used as an E-Rate local match these funds must be held available by the local school system until the E-Rate application is approved and the purchasing has begun.

Section 5. The State Department of Education shall establish an advisory committee to assist in the implementation of this act. The membership of the committee shall consist of, but not be limited to, select board members of the Alabama Education Technology Association (AETA) who have experience and knowledge in the administration and management of school networks; additional members who have experience in school networks and technology applications; and select members of the Education Technology Department of the State Department of Education. The membership of the advisory committee shall be inclusive and shall reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

The Alabama Ahead Oversight Committee shall approve the implementation of this act.

Section 6. All funds not expended in the current fiscal year shall not revert but shall be carried forward for the purpose appropriated.

Section 7. This act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming law.

Appropriations

Education Trust Fund

Legislature

Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund

Education Department