SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2480, 2621, 3206 PRINTER'S NO. 3381
No. 1898 Session of 1984
INTRODUCED BY D. R. WRIGHT, GALLAGHER, MANDERINO, IRVIS,
PIEVSKY, F. E. TAYLOR, BURNS, STEWART, STEIGHNER, STUBAN,
WARGO, ITKIN, BELFANTI, COY, GEORGE, RICHARDSON, COWELL,
TIGUE, WAMBACH, MURPHY, RUDY, DOMBROWSKI, KUKOVICH, HARPER,
FISCHER, WASS, BATTISTO, FREIND, BURNS, LIVENGOOD, STAIRS,
BROUJOS AND FEE, FEBRUARY 6, 1984
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JUNE 28, 1984
AN ACT
1 Establishing an Information Technology Education Board within <--
2 the Department of Education; enlarging the responsibilities
3 of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency;
4 creating Regional Computer Resource Centers; and establishing
5 Regional Computer Resource Center boards.
6 ESTABLISHING WITHIN THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE <--
7 AGENCY REGIONAL COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS AND REGIONAL
8 COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTER BOARDS.
9 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10 hereby enacts as follows:
11 Section 1. Short title.
12 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Information
13 Technology Education Act.
14 Section 2. Legislative intent. <--
15 (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds:
16 (1) The ability to use and process information is an
17 essential skill to a productive society.
18 (2) Computers have become universal devices in the
1 processing of information.
2 (3) Surveys have found that relatively few students are
3 obtaining access to computers and that these students have
4 access for relatively short periods of time.
5 (4) There is a potentially increasing gap between
6 economically advantaged and economically disadvantaged
7 students regarding computer availability.
8 (5) The department has found that an overwhelming
9 majority of teachers in the Commonwealth have no computer
10 proficiency.
11 SECTION 2. PURPOSE. <--
12 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES AS FOLLOWS:
13 (6) (1) It is the best interest of the Commonwealth to <--
14 improve and strengthen computer education in its elementary
15 and secondary schools by:
16 (I) COORDINATING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL <--
17 COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS WITH THE EXISTING SCIENCE
18 TEACHERS EDUCATION PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE
19 PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AGENCY.
20 (i) (II) Encouraging orderly planning for the use of <--
21 microcomputers and for the application of microcomputers
22 to the instructional programs of elementary and secondary
23 schools.
24 (ii) (III) Improving teacher training in computer <--
25 education.
26 (iii) (IV) Encouraging the acquisition of computer <--
27 hardware.
28 (iv) (V) Assisting in the acquisition of appropriate <--
29 computer software.
30 (b) Intent.--The General Assembly intends that: <--
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1 (1) (2) All areas of the Commonwealth shall have <--
2 available a Regional Computer Resource Center to assist
3 school districts in developing the computer skills of their
4 students and teachers and to ensure availability of computer
5 equipment, training and programs.
6 (2) (3) There shall be at least eight, but no more than <--
7 ten, centers throughout the Commonwealth, each of which shall
8 be established at sites reflecting considerations of
9 demography. availability of expertise, prior experience in <--
10 providing related educational services to basic education,
11 and application of workload.
12 (3) (4) Funding shall be made available to the centers
13 from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. for <--
14 operation and maintenance and for local grants for teacher
15 training and from the Department of Education for hardware
16 and software acquisition.
17 (4) (5) The initial priority of this act shall be to
18 equalize the development of computer skills of students and
19 teachers among the school districts.
20 (5) (6) This program is designed as a five-year FOUR- <--
21 YEAR program.
22 Section 3. Definitions.
23 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
24 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
25 context clearly indicates otherwise:
26 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
27 Agency.
28 "Board." The Information Technology Education Board. <--
29 "Center." A Regional Computer Resource Center.
30 "Department." The Department of Education of the
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1 Commonwealth.
2 "INTERMEDIATE UNIT." AN INTERMEDIATE UNIT AS DEFINED BY THE <--
3 ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC
4 SCHOOL CODE OF 1949.
5 Section 4. Establishment of Information Technology Education <--
6 Board.
7 (a) Creation.--There is hereby created the Information
8 Technology Education Board within the Department of Education.
9 (b) Members.--The board shall consist of seven members. Four
10 members shall be legislators, one from each party represented in
11 each house. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
12 designate the members from the House and the President pro
13 tempore shall designate the members from the Senate. One member
14 shall be the Secretary of Education or his designee. One member
15 shall be the Executive Director of Pennsylvania Higher Education
16 Assistance Agency or his designee. These six members shall serve
17 for the duration of their respective terms of office, and
18 members from the House and Senate may be reappointed to the
19 board if reelected to legislative office. The one remaining
20 member shall be appointed by the Governor.
21 (c) Powers and duties.--The board shall be responsible for
22 establishing uniform school district application and review
23 procedures for grant proposals submitted to Regional Computer
24 Resource Centers by local school districts. It shall allocate
25 the appropriation for hardware and software acquisition grants
26 among the centers. It shall review annual reports of program
27 content, effectiveness and costs which will be submitted by the
28 centers.
29 (d) Nonpublic schools allocation.--Consistent with the
30 provisions of section 923-A of the act of March 10, 1949
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1 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, and of
2 Chapter 2 of the Federal Education Consolidation and Improvement
3 Act of 1981 (P.L.97-35, 20 U.S.C. § 3801 et seq.), the
4 Information Technology Education Board shall allocate $1,000,000
5 annually among the intermediate units of the department, for the
6 life of this act, from Federal Education Consolidation and
7 Improvement Act Chapter 2 funds, for the purpose of loaning
8 computer hardware and software to nonpublic schools.
9 Section 5 4. Responsibility of Pennsylvania Higher Education <--
10 Assistance Agency.
11 (a) Establish centers.--The Pennsylvania Higher Education
12 Assistance Agency shall establish not less than eight nor more <--
13 than ten Regional Computer Resource Centers throughout the
14 Commonwealth at sites based on demography. availability of <--
15 expertise, equalization of workload and prior experience in
16 providing related educational services to basic education.
17 (b) Teacher training grant supervision.--The agency shall be
18 responsible for reviewing teacher training grant proposals
19 submitted on behalf of teachers by Regional Computer Resource
20 Centers. It shall allocate the appropriation for teacher
21 training grants among the centers.
22 (B) GRANT SUPERVISION.--THE AGENCY SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR <--
23 REVIEWING SCHOOL DISTRICT GRANT PROPOSALS SUBMITTED BY REGIONAL
24 COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS.
25 (C) POWERS TO MAKE GRANTS.--THE HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
26 AGENCY SHALL MAKE GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THOSE GRANTS SHALL
27 REFLECT AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
28 (1) THE AID RATIO AS DEFINED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE
29 OF 1949.
30 (2) SCHOOL DISTRICT ENROLLMENT.
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1 EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLYING SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY THE
2 BALANCE OF THE FUNDING NECESSARY FOR ITS PROGRAM. THE BALANCE
3 MAY BE SUPPLIED IN CASH OR IN KIND.
4 Section 6 5. Regional Computer Resource Centers. <--
5 (a) Purpose.--The purposes of each Regional Computer
6 Resource Center are to increase teacher expertise relating to
7 computer information technology and to assist local school
8 districts within the region to ACQUIRE, UTILIZE AND upgrade <--
9 computer hardware and software. To this end, it will:
10 (1) Provide teacher training.
11 (2) Help design computer oriented curricula.
12 (3) Assist with the evaluation of software.
13 (4) Review and evaluate proposals for upgrading computer
14 and computer oriented instruction.
15 (5) Provide funding for computer hardware and software. <--
16 (6) (5) Coordinate purchase of computer hardware and
17 software.
18 (6) LOAN COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TO NONPUBLIC <--
19 SCHOOL STUDENTS.
20 REGIONAL COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS MAY CONTRACT WITH
21 INTERMEDIATE UNITS TO PROVIDE THE ABOVE SERVICES.
22 (b) Regional Computer Resource Center Board.--
23 (1) The Information Technology Education Board THE BOARD <--
24 OF DIRECTORS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
25 AGENCY shall appoint five persons to be members of each
26 Regional Computer Resource Center Board of Directors. The <--
27 appointments shall be made based on recommendations of the
28 agency. The persons appointed shall represent five broad
29 areas: computer technology, teacher education, computer
30 education, elementary education and secondary education. No
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1 less than two members of the Regional Computer Resource
2 Center Board shall be classroom teachers or building
3 principals.
4 (2) It shall be the duty of the regional board to
5 receive grant applications from school districts. Such
6 applications shall include plans for upgrading computer
7 education through two related and coordinated actions:
8 teacher training and computer hardware and software
9 acquisition and utilization.
10 (i) (3) Grant applications from school districts for teacher <--
11 training in computer education, COMPUTER HARDWARE ACQUISITION <--
12 AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE ACQUISITION shall be received by the
13 regional board. After reviewing applications, the regional
14 board shall request an allocation from FORWARD EACH <--
15 APPLICATION WITH THEIR COMMENTS TO the Pennsylvania Higher
16 Education Assistance Agency.
17 (ii) Grant applications from school districts for <--
18 purchasing hardware and software necessary to supply
19 programs designed by the applicants shall be received by
20 the regional board. After reviewing applications, the
21 regional board shall request an aggregate allocation from
22 the Information Technology Education Board of the
23 Department of Education. The grants to school districts
24 made by the Regional Computer Resource Center shall
25 reflect the aid ratio defined in the act of March 10,
26 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
27 1949, but shall not exceed $50,000. Each school district
28 applying shall be required to supply the balance of the
29 funding necessary for its program; the balance may be
30 supplied in cash or in kind.
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1 (c) Support staff and equipment.--The centers will be
2 staffed on a full-time basis and shall have sufficient
3 technological equipment to meet their purposes.
4 SECTION 6. LOAN OF COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TO NONPUBLIC <--
5 SCHOOL STUDENTS.
6 THE DIRECTOR OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
7 AGENCY THROUGH THE REGIONAL COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS SHALL HAVE
8 THE POWER AND DUTY TO PURCHASE COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
9 AND UPON INDIVIDUAL REQUEST TO LOAN THEM TO ALL CHILDREN
10 RESIDING IN THE COMMONWEALTH WHO ARE ENROLLED IN GRADES
11 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12 OF A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL. THE ANNUAL
12 ALLOCATION FOR THIS PURCHASE SHALL NOT EXCEED 20% OF THE
13 APPROPRIATED FUNDS USED FOR THE PURCHASE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE
14 AND SOFTWARE FROM THE TOTAL APPROPRIATION. SUCH COMPUTER
15 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SHALL BE LOANED FREE TO SUCH CHILDREN.
16 SECTION 7. REGULATIONS.
17 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HIGHER EDUCATION
18 ASSISTANCE AGENCY SHALL HAVE THE POWER AND ITS DUTY SHALL BE TO
19 ADOPT SUCH REGULATIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS
20 ACT.
21 Section 7 8. Sunset provision. <--
22 The program created under this act shall expire five FOUR <--
23 years from the effective date of this act.
24 Section 8 9. Effective date. <--
25 This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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