Chief Patron: Scott, James
Annual Report of Broadband Access, Services & PC Ownership (language only)

Item 135 #1h

Language
Page 107, line 48, before "This appropriation" insert "A."
Page 108, line 3, before "In developing" insert "B."
Page 108, after line 7, insert:
"C. The Department of Education in conjunction with the Center for Innovative Technology shall annually report to the General Assembly on the level of broadband connectivity of each local school division as well as the level of computer ownership and access to broadband services for each secondary education level student.  The data shall be, in the aggregate, made available through the Commonwealth's broadband availability map for use in local broadband deployment."

Explanation
(This language amendment requires that the Department of Education and the Center for Innovative Technology to annually report to the General Assembly on the level of broadband connectivity of each local school division as well as the level of computer ownership and access to broadband services for each secondary education level student. This is the companion amendment to House Bill 1915 that will require the Board of Education to only approve electronic textbooks for use in grades six through twelve if the "e-books" are equally accessible to all students at school and in their residence. Further, each student's residential access to an appropriate computer shall not be shared with another student.)