January 14, 2019 at 9:00 AM - Technology Committee Meeting

Discussion: 
Call to order at 9:00 AM.

Staff:  David Ludwig, Deb Hericks, Scott Isaacson, Beth Kabes

Guests:  Dorann Avey, Dean Folkers

Discussion:  Steve Kindel and Mike Kroening from Learn360 were present to discuss Learn360.  They shared the updates of Infobase:  new content, etc.  Discussion regarding the contract moving forward.  Some ESUs do not wish to participate any longer.  Learn360 proposes to reduce price to 2016 rates ($112,000) and a free database for one year (the databases that we can utilize are the ones currently in the COOP Marketplace.  This offer is available to all Nebraska ESUs.  Some of the databases available are more costly that Learn360 costs itself.  Infobase will maintain this offer for 2020/2021 school year.  Price increase will not exceed 2% and may remain constant depending on subscription.  Database renewals will not exceed the current discounted proces in the Marketplace.  If an ESU picks a database, the following year they would have to pay the discounted rate from the Marketplace and choose a different database for free.  Each ESU can choose their own database.  This contract needs to be approved by March.  Anyone can request a trial of any of the databases. 

Discussion:  Technology Director gave a presentation on the portal system.  There are 23 applications available in the portal system.  The portal is called Nebraska Cloud.  Technology Driector to have data on what/where each ESU is in this process.  Technology Director is working to migrate over this week.  

Discussion:  An update was given on the Nebraska OER.  Site has gone live on the OER Hub.  Updates to site in the group section, splitting out the K-12 and the statewide organizations.  Member data:  314 members total - 95 ESU member users, 174 schools users, 11 higher ed users, NDE 21 users, 24 unassigned users(unknown email like gmail).  Rhonda Eis shared that each ESus has at least one most ESUs have 5 or more users.  Working to get more customizeable reports available.  What data do you need?  Possible to get a member report and not have to do manually.  They could have a report for groups, who is involved in each group.  Reports are not showing authored materials but it is included after it is shared.  Committeee would like to drill down further even to schools level and who is authoring, etc.  Contracts are ready for review.  Dorann Avey shared that standards have been approved by the NDE Board and will be ready to load soon.  Social Studies standards and Foreign Language standards will be ready later this Fall.  Dorann is also working on a toolkit and about 1/3 finished.  This will provide all the information done in training, copyright information, etc.  Continue to communicate the OER to others across the state.  We work to train toher groups on best practices for students.  Will link CCSI, Materials Matter, etc to the OER Hub.  Presentation at the NDE Board meeting next month will probably be on Thursday but working through what this will look like.  This work aligns with Bold Step 2.  

Discussion:  Rhonda Eis reviewed the contract with ISKME.  We are moving into the maintenance section and move into Tier 2 support.  We will continue to have our own contract manger.  The plan renews annually but will down grade contract without the needed support.  Legal has reviewed and approved the contract.  The second part of the contract is for the uploads which will be used/paid for by NDE.  The additional costs of contract will be covered by NDE.  

Discussion:  Executive Director shared continued discussions on SIS Support, table discussion for this month.  

Discussion:  Dean Folkers, NDE was present to discuss the Nebraska Student Privacy Alliance (NSPA).  He shared the work around Future Ready Nebraska and the webpage.  The NSPA is an outcome of the student data privacy gear from Future Ready.  This is a tool/resource available to protect student privacy online.  ESU 3 has been instumental in helping with what the NSPA looks like.  This process will help the little schools piggy back onto the bigger schools resources.  It will help identify what other schools are using.  This work is also in alignment with ESUCC Goal 2.  

Discussion:  Dean Folkers, NDE shared the working being done with McREL on a Tech Survey.  They took the required document and used the tolls to develop the survey to help develop the gaps in the survey.  They revised the survey to help decide the capacity of technologies in supporting ESUs.  Dean Folkers shared the survey with the committee.  Suggest to add a category for "other" this could help to tie to inventory of services.  Theere are a couple of questions toward end of survey that will align to this suggestion.  This will help identify gaps especially for the single person ESUs.  

Discussion:  Dean Folkers shared the LeaRn platform which is a value-add process regarding technology to be aligned with Future Ready.  this will give education organizations the ability to inventory and selct digital learning tools, establish and maintain regulatory compliance and measure the outcomes to gain meaningful, actionable evidence to ensure learning ecosystems are safe and cost-effective.  This will help keep track of the technolgy to help inform the resources being used by schools. Bold Step 4 committee has reviewed this process.  Request that TLT begin to gain knowledge to help impact their schools.  

Discussion:  Dean Folkers, NDE shared GreyEd/BlendEd, value add pieces to Future Ready.  This incorporates surveys to provide more streamlined, supports current status and information, and identify priority services and supports needed by Nebraska schools.  Data collected in the new profile will be shared back out to the school districts on the Nebraska Education Profile (NEP) website in the Spring following the collection.  Future Ready has surveys for each one of the gears?  There is a national portal for future ready but these do not roll up to the ESUs and their schools priorities.  This will create a resource of information to help in planning, professional development, etc. for ESUs schools.  

Discussion:  Dean Folkers, NDE was present to discuss the LR264 study (2014).  This was the Education Data Systems Study.  The study included as assessment of the adequacy of the current data system maintained by the NE State Department of Education to provide timely access to relevant and accurate data to meet various needs, including information for teachers in public schools about student achievement in their classroom, objective research regarding educational practices, data for policy formation and review, and accoutnability to the publixc regarding the performance of the public schools.  Working to update/review this study and the process needed to keep moving technology forward.  There will be a kick-off meeting in a few weeks, to gather info needed and providing what is already there and what we need.  By the end of April, there should be a strong draft of where we visualize going in the future.  Identify a couple of ESU people that could help with the process. Chair of Technology Committee and NOC Chair could possibly be the representatives for ESUCC.  Dean Folkers to send dates of meetings.  

Discussion:  Executive Director and Technology Director shared information on hosting services that could be provided by ESU 3.  Continue to discuss the sustainability of ESUCC hardware, moving our services to ESU 3 would help move forward the need of help and cost effeciencies.  Do we update our current system/hardware?  More cost efficient to get out of the hardware business.  Just two people available to work on current systems and not in Lincoln where equipment is housed.  By using ESU 3, we would be shifting combining efforts with ESU 3 or someone else and add on to their existing envirnment.  We maintain four physical servers, this is for redundancy for fail over.  If we combine with someone else and only need one server available for the work we need done.  It will also provide systems support (people).  We would flip our current system, move main equipment to ESU 3 and having the back-up site in Lincoln on combined racks.  Technology Director has looked as options with other ESUs as well.  Is there an RFP process for this work?  We are comparing bids from other ESUs but not a formal process.  Applcation based services will change to not have to go to a location, will be able to restart from wherever your are located.  Committee feels stongly that we need to do a formal RFP Process to let everyone (in house) bid on process that would like to be a part of this process.  What level of service do we expect to get.  Is there a natural selction by chosing ESU 3 because that is where ESUCC staff our housed.  It would be the issue of the host site that would have the control o ver the equipment.  

Discussion:  Distance/BlendED Director shared that the original approved TLT Special Projects.  They initial planned for 40 teachers and have about 28 that.  They did not go through the training last fall and would like the training this summer and ESU 10 will be having a Bootcamp this summer.  Could we bring our people to this bootcamp and then stay over to complete the project.  Usuing left over funds.  The new plan would provide mentors (8) registration, hotel, travel and the 28 would recieve just registration which is $75.  TLT will discuss this week.   

Discussion:  Executive Director shared that we did file for the no cost extension along with an amended budget to move some travel, supplies, etc moved to contracted services.  The safety audit would be moved to the Fall.  The extension would move the end of the grant to December 31, 2019 where origianlly June 30, 2019.

Discussion:  Executive Director shared the timeline for the SRS/AAP Project moving forward.  Demos to begin in March with full scale in August.  Use funds to help with maintenance and upkeep for the grant.  

Discussion:  Continue scale-up process.  

Discussion:  Continue scale-up process. 

Discussion:  Nate McClenahan is doing a great job with the SIMPL.

Discussion:  Monthly report attached.

Discussion:  Monthly report attached.  There are other reports attached for Learn360, etc.  Rhonda Eis has emailed some other reports to each of the Committee members.  

Discussion:  Meeting adjourned at 10:50 AM.