Connecting California s Children 2015

Transcription

1 Supplemental Report: Findings and Observations A Report to the California Department of Finance; the Legislative Analyst s Office; the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review; and the California State Assembly Committee on Budget Submitted by the K-12 High-Speed Network Submitted on April 17, 2015

2 Budget Bill 852 (2014) Item Of the amount authorized for expenditure in Provision 1, $26,689,000 is re-appropriated with one-time Proposition 98 General Fund savings in Provision 6 of Item to support network connectivity infrastructure grants and completion of a statewide report of network connectivity infrastructure by the K 12 High-Speed Network in consultation with the Department of Education and State Board of Education. (a) Network connectivity infrastructure grants shall be distributed by the K 12 High-Speed Network, in consultation with the Department of Education and State Board of Education, based on an objective assessment of need using the data included in the statewide report of network connectivity infrastructure, as specified in subdivision (c) of this provision. (b) The Department of Education, with concurrence of the Executive Director of the State Board of Education, may direct the K 12 High-Speed Network to distribute network connectivity infrastructure grants to fund projects critical for implementation in the fiscal year of computer-based assessments prior to the issuance of the report required in subdivision (c) of this provision. First priority for critical need grants shall go to local educational agencies that are unable to administer computer-based assessments at the school site and will therefore experience the greatest benefit in terms of the number of students able to be assessed at the school site as a result of the grant. These grants would take priority over all other grants described in subdivision (a) of this provision. As a condition of receiving grant funding, all local educational agencies shall commit to supporting the ongoing costs associated with improved Internet infrastructure. (c) The statewide report of network connectivity infrastructure shall, at a minimum, include all of the following: (1) an assessment of existing network connectivity infrastructure that takes student population at respective school sites into consideration and compares existing Internet usage and speeds with those required to implement the computer-based assessments included in the state s assessment system; (2) all alternative network connectivity options that take geography, isolation, student population, and cost into consideration; (3) available infrastructure that will expand broadband capacity with minimal future costs; (4) federal, state, and local funding that has been invested in the past and may be available in the future for network connectivity infrastructure or to expand broadband capacity at respective school sites, including state funding for academic content standards implementation that will support Internet infrastructure upgrades; and (5) a detailed estimate, based on findings of this provision, of the costs associated with upgrading Internet infrastructure to implement the computer-based assessments included in the state s assessment system. This report shall be completed by the K 12 High-Speed Network, in consultation with the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, by March 1, 2015, and submitted to the Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst s Office, and the budget committees of each house of the Legislature. (d) Upon distribution of all available network connectivity infrastructure grant funding, the K 12 High- Speed Network shall submit a report to the budget committees of the Legislature, Department of Education, State Board of Education, and Department of Finance that describes the methodology used to determine and prioritize grant funding and provides a summary of the grant awards, including grant recipients and associated infrastructure projects, and details about any funding approved for the K 12 High-Speed Network to meet the requirements of this item according to subdivision (e) in this provision. (e) If necessary, and upon approval of the Department of Finance, the K 12 High-Speed Network may use a portion of network connectivity infrastructure grant funding to meet the requirements of this item. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Budget Bill 2

3 Executive Summary...7 Section 1 Introduction Section 2 National and State Context...23 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Survey Methodology...31 Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Findings...35 State of Last Mile Infrastructure...36 Profile of Current Connectivity...36 Adequacy of Current Connectivity...49 Summary of Key Findings State of Local (in-school) Infrastructure...58 Profile of School Local Area Networks (LANs).58 Profile of Information Technology Staffing...68 Profile of School Devices Summary of Key Findings Alternative Network Connectivity Options...83 Available Infrastructure...89 Profile: Internet Connectivity in Trinity County Schools...94 Profile: Internet Connectivity in Humboldt County Schools...96 Profile: Internet Connectivity in San Bernardino Schools...98 Profile of Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications Middle Mile Fiber Project Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Table of Contents 3

4 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Section 10 Funding: Past Availability and Future Outlook Estimating Costs to Upgrade Internet Infrastructure Update on the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program Update on the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program Interviews with District Leaders: Schools Benefiting from the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program Black Oak Mine School District Fort Ross Elementary School Key Observations From the Data Sources Consulted Appendices Difference Between CalREN and the Commodity Internet Overview of Education Networking in California Bandwidth Requirements Based on Maximum Number of Simultaneous Test Takers Glossary of Terms Used in This Report Partners and Roles Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Table of Contents 4

5 List of Figures Figure 1: Network Utilization at the Orange County Department of Education Node Site...29 Figure 2: Network Utilization at the Riverside County Department of Education Node Site...30 Figure 3: Current Distribution of External Connection Speeds...38 Figure 4: Distribution of External Connection Speeds After Upgrades...43 Figure 5: Frequency Distribution of Kbps/student...50 Figure 6: Cumulative Distribution of Kbps/student...52 Figure 7: Frequency Distribution of District IT Staffing in FTE Per 100 Students Figure 8: Cumulative Distribution of District IT Staffing in FTE Per 100 Students...72 Figure 9: Frequency Distribution of Student-to-Devices Ratios...76 Figure 10: Frequency Distribution of Teacher Devices Per 100 Students Figure 11: Frequency Distribution of Percentage Increase In Devices...78 List of Tables Table 1: Download Speeds for Specific Educational Activities...25 Table 2: Current External Connection Speed...37 Table 3: Estimated Speeds After Planned Upgrades...40 Table 4: Funding Sources for Future Upgrades Table 5: Future Connectivity Speeds (Assuming Planned Upgrades Occur)...42 Table 6: Physical Network Medium in K-12 Schools in California...44 Table 7: Organizations Providing Connectivity...46 Table 8: Commercial Providers...47 Table 9: Schools Maintaining Secondary Connections...48 Table 10: School Site Testing Experience...54 Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Tables and Figures 5

6 Table 11: Challenges to Network Connectivity at the School Site...60 Table 12: Capacity Monitoring Ability Table 13: Network Cabling...62 Table 14: Cable Receptacles per Classroom...63 Table 15: Port Speeds...64 Table 16: Campus Backbone Capacity...65 Table 17: Wireless Coverage...66 Table 18: Use of Security Appliances...67 Table 19: Bottleneck in School s Local Area Networks...68 Table 20: Technical Support In K-12 Schools...69 Table 21: Technical Support for Desktop and LAN...73 Table 22: Technology Support for Wireless Deployment...74 Table 23: Support for Bring Your Own Devices...79 Table 24: Past Funding Sources for School Network Connectivity Table 25: Past Federal Funding Sources for School Network Connectivity Table 26: Past State Funding Sources for School Network Connectivity Table 27: Past Local Funding Sources for School Network Connectivity Table 28: Use of Common Core Funds for School Network Connectivity Table 29: Anticipated Spending on Network Connectivity Table 30: Anticipated Spending on Network Connectivity to Implement CAASPP Table 31: Costs for Levels of Connectivity Table 32: Service Providers Awarded Bid through BIIG Table 33: Sites Withdrawing from BIIG Program Table 34: Sites Originally Receiving No Bid Now Part of the BIIG Program Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Tables and Figures 6

7 Connecting California s Executive Summary Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 7

8 Executive Summary Recognizing that the administration of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments will require upgrading the broadband connectivity for some of California s K-12 public schools, Governor Brown included $26,689,000 in one-time Proposition 98 funding in the Budget Act (Senate Bill 852). The purpose of the funding was to support network connectivity infrastructure under the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant (BIIG) program. In addition to providing connectivity upgrades to schools most in need, the budget bill also provisioned a report on the state of network connectivity infrastructure in California s K 12 public schools. This report presents the findings of the needs assessment as called for in SB 852. It also makes key observations related to the findings and suggests possible strategies for improving the connectivity of schools in California. National and State Context for this Work National Standards: High-speed broadband for 21st century teaching, learning and assessment President Obama s ConnectED Initiative, launched in May 2013, makes the case for upgraded broadband connectivity, trained teachers and a reliance on private sector innovation. The expectation is that, within five years, 99 percent of America s students will be able to access highcapacity, next-generation broadband from schools and libraries with no less than a 100 Mbps connection and a goal of 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) by the year The Broadband Imperative, a report issued by the State Educational Technology Directors Association in 2012, made a similar recommendation of at least 1 Gbps per 1,000 students (1,000 Kbps/ student) by The vision of all students and teachers using technology across the curriculum, unconstrained by bandwidth availability is echoed in Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Education Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 8

9 Technology, in This report made recommendations for the use of technology in learning, assessment, and teaching. It also discussed the importance of creating a robust infrastructure to support these uses, including high-speed broadband connectivity. Adequate last-mile connectivity for implementation of online testing in California Because California schools are so diverse in their enrollment, geography, local area network capacity, and levels of technical capabilities, defining adequate last mile connectivity for online testing is difficult. In addition, classroom use of technology is continuously evolving as districts and schools become more dependent on Internet access for teaching, learning, assessment, and administrative functions. For these reasons, there is no single level of connectivity or threshold that can be universally used to define adequate connectivity. The administration of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments requires that public schools have a minimum of 20,000 bits per second (20 Kbps) of connectivity per student to administer the test. This figure reports only on the broadband connectivity necessary for administering the tests and does not consider the capacity needed to prepare devices for the test, or the fact that some of the broadband capacity of schools will be needed for educational and administrative functions during the testing period. In order to plan for new uses of their broadband network, districts and schools can anticipate their needs for increased usage and capacity. Using network management tools, it is possible to observe the growth in use of Internet connectivity first hand. For example, during December 2013, average utilization at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) node site was just over 3.5 Gbps. By December 2014, just one year later, average utilization increased by 100 percent. During the school year, at some points, OCDE s utilization topped out near the maximum capacity available to them. These periods of maximum usage can paralyze a network and hinder the very access educators and students now depend upon. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 9

10 Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Survey Methodology To assess the readiness of K-12 public schools in California to administer online tests, a survey was administered that included questions on current connectivity, on-site technical capacity and use of federal, state, and local funding. Working from a list of all K-12 public and charter schools in California, schools that were a part of the BIIG program were removed. From the remaining 9,846 public schools, a random sample of 500 schools was generated using the Excel random number generator. The list of schools was sorted based on these random numbers and the first 500 schools formed the survey pool. The 48 County Offices of Education (COEs) in which sample schools were located were subcontracted with to support schools in the collection of survey responses. A total of 442 school sites responded, representing an 88.4 percent response rate. Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Findings Concerning Last Mile Infrastructure Connection speed per student Four percent of schools reported having a connection speed below the 20 Kbps/student required for Smarter Balanced test administration, 45 percent of schools reported values greater than 1 Mbps/student. Current external connection speed Schools reported a wide range of external network connection speeds with 2.9 percent at or below 10 Mbps and 47.2 percent at or above 1 Gbps. Rural schools generally reported lower speeds than urban schools, with 5.6 percent at or below 10 Mbps and only 39.4 percent at or above 1 Gbps. The average speed for all schools was 512 Mbps. Physical network medium Approximately 87 percent of participating schools reported that their school s connection is provided by fiber optic cable, with 6 percent using copper cable and 3 percent using a fixed wireless connection. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 10

11 Organizations providing school site connection Network connections were provided by commercial providers with AT&T providing 38 percent, Comcast providing 10 percent, and Time Warner providing 8 percent of circuits. More than 90 percent of schools reported that Internet service was provided by CalREN, while commercial ISPs provided Internet for 6 percent of schools. Secondary connection More than 90 percent of schools reported that they do not maintain a secondary backup connection to an alternate service provider. Connection speed per device The median connection speed per device, including student, teacher and administrator devices, was 1.12 Mbps/device for rural schools and 1.43 Mbps/device for urban schools. School field-testing experiences More than 69 percent of sample schools were able to administer the Smarter Balanced on-line field test of online assessments with minimal disruption. Of the schools that had issues with administering the test, 72 percent reported that the issues were related to network capacity. The survey revealed that 44 percent of schools reporting bandwidth issues had connectivity of 20 Kbps/student or greater, and 17 percent had connectivity of 1 Mbps/student or greater. Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Findings Concerning the State of Local (inschool) Infrastructure Challenges/barriers to improved connectivity Approximately 14 percent of schools reported that they saw no barriers to network connectivity, while 55 percent reported that adequate bandwidth was a challenge. Approximately 13 percent of schools saw lack of computing devices and updated network equipment as a barrier, while 5 percent saw funding to upgrade internal and external network infrastructure as a challenge. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 11

12 Internet usage/capacity monitoring Approximately 74 percent of schools reported reported utilizing Internet usage/capacity monitoring. Internal network cabling Approximately 99 percent of schools reported having adequate internal cabling, to support up to 1 Gbps to the student device. Port speeds Approximately 14 percent of schools have port speeds of 10 Mbps and 42 percent of schools have port speeds of 100 Mbps. Campus backbone capacity Approximately 6 percent of schools have a backbone capacity of only 10 Mbps, while 16 percent have 100 Mbps, and 66 percent have 1 Gbps backbone capacity. Wireless coverage Approximately 6.4 percent of schools have less than 25 percent wireless coverage, with 1.6 percent reporting no coverage at all. Local Area Network (LAN) bottlenecks Approximately 81 percent of reported no bottlenecks, while the remaining 19 percent reported LAN issues such as wireless access points, backbone issues, equipment port speeds, etc.. Many schools indicated that their local networks are inadequate, poorly designed, or unmanaged. Technical support Approximately 82 percent of schools use district-supplied IT staff for technical support while only 6 percent use school IT staff, 3 percent use consultants, and 2.5 percent use non-it school staff (teachers, the principal, or parents). Approximately 84 percent of schools that depend on district IT staff reported having less than 1 FTE support person per 200 students. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 12

13 Desktop and LAN support Only 34 percent of schools have IT support staff for desktop computers and local network. Only 27 percent of schools reported that their IT support staff has knowledge and experience in wireless deployments. Student to computer ratio Only 16 percent of schools have a ratio greater than 5:1 (more than 5 students per device). Approximately 84 percent of schools have a student to device ratio of at 5:1 or less. Estimated future devices Approximately 40 percent of schools have either no plans to add devices or will, at most, increase their devices by 10 percent within the next 12 to 18 months. Funding: Past Availability and Future Outlook Provision c4 calls for an examination of the the federal, state, and local funding invested in network connectivity in K-12 public schools in the past and what funding may be available in the future. Previously invested amounts and funding sources Federal: Of the schools surveyed, only 40 percent provided dollar amounts invested to remedy external and internal connectivity concerns from federal sources, with 38 percent reporting E-rate as the source ($38,173,404) and 2.3 percent reporting other sources ($273,108). State: Of the schools surveyed, only 26 percent provided dollar amounts invested to remedy external and internal connectivity concerns from state sources. The source most frequently cited was the California Teleconnect Fund (CTF)with 11 percent reporting a total of $993,435. Local: Of the schools surveyed, only 49 percent provided dollar amounts invested to remedy external and internal connectivity concerns from local sources, with 21.3 percent reporting bonds as the funding source ( $36,357,754). Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 13

14 Common Core Funds: Of the schools surveyed, only 29.4 percent provided dollar amounts invested to remedy external and internal connectivity concerns from common core funds, with 18.1 percent reporting common core funds as the source ($6,103, 744). Future outlook: Federal funding The primary federal funding resource for K-12 network connectivity has been the Universal Service Fund s Schools and Libraries Program, otherwise known as the E-rate program. This program, created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has provided significant subsidies ranging from 20 to 90 percent of the costs necessary to connect K-12 schools and classrooms over its 19-year history. In July of 2014, the FCC formalized its modernization of the E-rate program and raised the annual E-rate funding cap by $1.5 billion to $3.9 billion indexed annually to inflation. While the increase in the overall available funding is welcome, the modernization eliminated existing E-rate funding for voice and other non-broadband services (for example, web hosting, firewall services, and service) for all schools over the next one to four years. For a detailed discussion of changes to the E-rate program see Section 7. Future outlook: State funding The CTF,, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), provides schools with a 50 percent discount off telecommunication services after E-rate, regardless of whether the school applied or received E-rate funding. In addition, since 2013, California has provided K-12 schools with funding to assist in the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which California adopted in March These funds may be used to upgrade technology to assist with the administration of computer-based assessments. Estimating Costs to Upgrade Internet Infrastructure Provision c5 requires an analysis of costs associated with connectivity upgrades. Because California schools are so diverse and have a broad range of external bandwidths, local area network bottlenecks, and financial capabilities, estimating costs is difficult. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 14

15 In order to estimate the cost of upgrading the last mile infrastructure of all K-12 public schools in California to a specified level, a cost estimator tool was created. This tool can be used to estimate the costs of external transport circuits and associated core equipment. The model enables what-if analysis, thereby providing ranges of numerical answers to the questions of cost estimates and creating estimates of the costs involved in upgrading schools to any bandwidth level. For the purposes of this report, estimates are provided to upgrade schools to 20 Kbps/student, 40 Kbps/student, 100 Kbps/student and 1,000 Kbps/student. Please see Section 8 for a detailed discussion of the capabilities and limitations of this approach to estimating costs. Update on the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program (BIIG) In a previous report, issued February 27, 2015, the purpose, process and initial outcomes of the BIIG program were discussed in detail. Since that time, implementing connectivity upgrades has begun. Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) returned By the end of March 2015, there were 171 school sites that have either returned their MOU, or are in the process of returning their MOU. Notably, this includes 18 additional school sites that were no bid sites during the bidding process, which ended on December 8, Site readiness survey conducted The K12HSN developed a site readiness survey and assembled project implementation teams who field questions and provide technical support for school sites. Coordination of installation by service providers CENIC and K12HSN have continued to coordinate with service providers who will be installing the new circuits and equipment over the coming months. Remaining No-Bid Sites Forty-seven schools remain on the no-bid list and solutions are being researched for these more difficult to connect school sites. The K12HSN and CENIC are actively engaging the service provider community around California to determine the most viable solutions available to Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 15

16 these sites; and while a scalable fiber network continues to be the ideal connection choice, all agencies involved in this grant program are aware that non-traditional solutions and other interim measures may be necessary while other long-term remedies are put into place. Key Observations from the Data These observations identify needs related to providing high-speed broadband connectivity to support teaching, learning, and assessment for all of California s children. In addition, strategies growing out of these observations are suggested. Observation 1: The quality of technical support of network infrastructure varies among districts and county offices of education and could be improved. Possible Strategies: Identify and disseminate best practices for improving the quality of technical support. Educate the field about accessing additional funding from broadband subsidy programs to support connectivity improvements. Document and share the impact of these improvements on teaching, learning, assessment and school administration Observation 2: California s K-12 public schools lack access to last and middle mile infrastructure. Possible Strategies: Implement last mile solutions for un-served sites identified during the BIIG program. Provide funding for upgraded connectivity for a new group of school sites that do not currently have the capacity to administer computerbased assessments. Develop a plan for middle mile infrastructure that would benefit schools and communities with last mile challenges. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 16

17 Observation 3: Some school sites in California cannot fully utilize their last mile connection because their internal infrastructure is inadequate. Possible Strategy: Provide assistance with improving local broadband infrastructure inside schools. Observation 4: State and national reports call for expanded broadband capacity to meet 21st Century goals for teaching, learning and assessment. Possible Strategies: Broaden the conversation about high-speed broadband in K-12 schools in California related to the goals set forth in the national reports described in Section 3 of this document. Align work in California to take advantage of support at the federal level. Observation 5: Data collection on connectivity in K-12 schools is inconsistent, impacting planning efforts in school districts and county offices of education. Possible Strategies: Create a mechanism for collecting real-time data related to technology infrastructure in the classroom. Pilot a small, voluntary network performance-reporting program. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 17

18 Internet connectivity is the lifeblood of innovative and engaging classrooms. As a district, we believe that we must be continuously dynamic in our approach to education; hence bringing in the wealth of resources that connectivity provides is critical to the success of each and every student. As a district, we believe that the purpose of our existence is to educate, support, and challenge our students so that they may become successful members of the 21st century society. Connectivity will provide us with the resources necessary to ensure we can make this a reality. Barbara Worth Junior High School Imperial County Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Executive Summary 18

19 Section 1 Introduction Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 1 19

20 Section 1 Introduction The state of California began investing in broadband connectivity for K 12 schools in 2000 with funding for the Digital California Project. Since its inception in 2004, the California K 12 High-Speed Network (K12HSN) has continued this work to connect all K 12 public schools in the state to the California Research and Education Network (CalREN). This high-speed, high-capacity broadband network is exclusively for research and education organizations and is operated by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC). See Appendix 1 for an overview of the differences between CalREN and the commercial Internet. Presently, 78 percent of the state s schools, 84 percent of school districts and 100 percent of county offices of education (COE) are connected to CalREN. Access to high-speed broadband has afforded schools the opportunity to enhance teaching, learning, school administration and assessment in a myriad of ways. For an overview of the current provision of education networking in California by these organizations, see Appendix 2. Recognizing that the advent of online testing would require upgrading the last mile (the connection from the school site out to the Internet) connectivity for some of California s K-12 public schools, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. included $26,689,000 in one-time Proposition 98 funding in the Budget (Senate Bill 852). The purpose of the funding is to support network connectivity infrastructure grants under the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant program (BIIG). The bill also provisioned a report on the state of network connectivity infrastructure in California s K 12 schools. This report presents the findings of the statewide connectivity needs assessment, which was designed to answer the questions posed in provision (c) of SB 852, Item It also makes key observations related to the findings and potential solutions for improving the connectivity of schools in California. The report is organized as follows: Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 1 20

21 Section 2: What is the latest thinking on adequate last mile connectivity and local infrastructure to support 21st century teaching and learning in K-12 schools? Section 3: How was the statewide connectivity needs assessment in K-12 public schools in California designed, administered and analyzed? Section 4: What is the current profile of network connectivity in California s K-12 public schools? Are there significant differences between urban and rural schools? How do current Internet usage and speeds compare with those required to implement the computer-based assessments included in the state s assessment system? Do schools have adequate internal infrastructure to meet the requirements of online assessments? Do schools have adequate IT staff to support the increased demands of online assessments? (provision c1) Section 5: What are the best options for connecting K-12 schools still in need of connectivity upgrades taking geography, isolation, student population, and cost into consideration? (provision c2) Section 6: What infrastructure exists in the state of California that could expand broadband capacity with minimal future costs? (provision c3) Section 7: What federal, state, and local funding has been invested in network connectivity in K-12 public schools in the past? What federal, state, and local funding may be available in the future? How has the state funding for Common Core State Standards implementation supported Internet infrastructure upgrades? (provision c4) Section 8: How can we estimate of the costs associated with upgrading Internet infrastructure to implement the computer-based assessments included in the state s assessment system? (provision c5) Section 9: What progress has been made in connectivity upgrades funded by the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant program since the February 27th report? The BIIG program was developed and implemented in the fall of 2014, grant awards were announced on January 7, 2015, and connectivity upgrades are being implemented now. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 1 21

22 Section 10: What observations can be made about improving connectivity infrastructure and the capacity for online testing in K-12 public schools in California based on the results of the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grants, the Statewide Assessment of Network Connectivity Infrastructure, the profiles of schools in rural and poor communities and the scan of relevant literature? We are working to infuse technology into every course and classroom. Over the next few years, there is no doubt that we will need to increase both our internal wireless capacity and our Internet capacity to support our education initiatives. In almost every class, teachers and students are using technology to produce assignments and work that has never been possible before. Students and teachers are using ipads in the classroom for assignments, discussions, reading, creating works of art and literature, and accessing online resources. Without consistent, fast Internet access we will be unable to support Common Core, online testing, or educational enrichment for our students. Campolindo High School Contra Costa County Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 1 22

23 Connecting California s Section 2 National and State Context What is the latest thinking on adequate last mile connectivity and local infrastructure to support 21st century teaching and learning in K-12 schools? Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 23

24 Section 2 National and State Context It is a simple fact that access to high-speed broadband is now as vital a component of K-12 school infrastructure as electricity, plumbing, air conditioning and heating. The same tools that have transformed and enriched our personal, civic and professional lives are dramatically improving learning experiences intended to prepare today s students for college and 21st century careers. The Broadband Imperative State Educational Technology Directors Association Adequate last-mile connectivity for implementation of online testing Classroom use of technology is continuously evolving and districts and schools are becoming more dependent on Internet access for teaching, learning, assessment, and administrative functions. For this reason, there is no single level of connectivity or threshold that can be universally used to define adequate connectivity. The administration of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments requires that schools have a minimum of 20,000 bits per second (20 Kbps) of connectivity per student to administer the test. This figure reports only on the broadband connectivity necessary for administering the tests and does not consider the capacity needed to prepare devices for the test, or the fact that some of the broadband capacity of schools will be needed for educational and administrative functions during the testing period. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 24

25 Moving forward, classroom learning environments will look and function differently as more technology is placed into the hands of students. This change, which is already occurring across the state, will pose challenges to school sites that have minimal bandwidth, and who simultaneously administer online assessments and encourage in-class utilization of web tools and software over the Internet. As the State Educational Technology Directors Association s 2012 report, The Broadband Imperative illustrates, downloading just one, relatively small digital book can require up to 1.5 Mbps. The question for school sites is, as such activities become the norm in classrooms, will they have enough capacity to handle multiple digitally driven learning tasks without interrupting the testing environment? The following table, from The Broadband Imperative identifies the average download speeds needed to carry out certain present-day educational functions over the Internet: Table 1: Download Speeds for Specific Educational Activities Activity and Web Browsing Download a 1 MB digital book in 5.3 seconds Online Learning HD-quality Video Streaming Skype Group-Video Session, 7+ people Download a 6,144 MB movie in 8 minutes Recommended Download Speeds 500 Kbps 1.5 Mbps 250 Kbps 4 Mbps 8 Mbps 100 Mbps Planned enhancements to online assessments will make the testing process more broadband intensive within the next one to three years. In addition, the California Alternative Assessment (CAA), provided to students with significant cognitive disabilities, is likely to require more bandwidth because it will include media as a part of the test format. Bandwidth requirements for these tests are estimated to be 200 Kbps per student. Finally, online interim assessments, released in January 2015, are intended to be used throughout the school year to chart student progress Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 25

26 and inform instruction, and these assessments will require the consistent availability of high-speed broadband. The need for broadband capacity will continue to increase as instruction and assessments become more technologically sophisticated and as the number of devices and applications increases. Any solution implemented in the near term should be scalable so that a school can affordably increase capacity as needed. National Standards: High-speed broadband for 21st century teaching, learning and assessment High-speed broadband is critical to a successful 21st century economy. California, home to Silicon Valley and major technology companies, needs to ensure that students exiting high school have the skills and tools to meet the demands of college and the workplace. Having robust broadband infrastructure will be necessary to reap the benefits and meet the requirements of the Common Core State Standards, to bolster science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and to support the next generation of online assessments (formative as well as summative). Students and educators should be empowered by unconstrained tools and instruments, including a robust and scalable network infrastructure. The ability to access information, connect with others and use tools to obtain or process data should not be limited by the bandwidth of the network connection. In order to overcome these barriers, schools in California need to have access to the necessary infrastructure that will allow for innovations and does not put limitations on the creative processes. President Obama s ConnectED Initiative, launched in May 2013, makes the case for upgraded broadband connectivity, trained teachers and a reliance on private sector innovation. The expectation is that, within five years, 99 percent of America s students will be able to access highcapacity, next-generation broadband from schools and libraries with no less than a 100 Mbps connection and the goal of 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) by the year Ideally, as proposed by the ConnectED Initiative, this would mean that small schools have capacity of 100 Mbps, medium size schools have 500 Mbps connections, and large schools have connections of 1 Gbps or more. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 26

27 The Broadband Imperative, a report issued by the State Educational Technology Directors Association in 2012, makes a similar recommendation of at least 1 Gbps per 1,000 students by Underlying this recommendation is their analysis of trends driving the need for more broadband in education including the growing popularity of online learning tools and web based content, the arrival of digital textbooks, and the advent of online assessments. The report also discusses the increasing use of online learning for both teachers and students. Students, for example, can participate in advanced placement classes online that are not available in their school districts and educators can participate in a range of online learning communities specific to their discipline and interests. Finally, the report points to the increasing use of devices in schools across the country, with more and more schools implementing programs in which each student has his or her own device and uses it in across the curriculum. The complete report can be accessed here: The vision of all students and teachers using technology across the curriculum, unconstrained by bandwidth availability is echoed in Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Education Technology, in This report makes recommendations for the use of technology in learning, assessment, and teaching. It also discusses the importance of creating a robust infrastructure to support these uses, including broadband connectivity. An infrastructure for learning is always on, available to students, educators and administrators regardless of their location or time of day. It supports not just access to information but access to people and participation in online learning communities. The complete report can be accessed here: State Context The importance of broadband access to schools in California cannot be overstated. The opportunities students will have upon exiting the K-12 system are directly connected to their ability to leverage the Internet for research, literacy, programming, and other skills that will position them Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 27

28 to enter the workforce in an ever dynamic global economy. And while increased bandwidth capacity is essential to administer the new online assessments, that use is only one part of the use of the Internet across school networks throughout California. Rather, it is the steady, everyday usage of web-based tools, mobile devices and software over the Internet that is driving demand and saturating school networks at a breakneck pace. As external fiber connections are put into place, such as with sites in the BIIG program, attention must be given to the internal network infrastructure across school sites throughout California. Properly built wireless infrastructure will be especially crucial as schools continue to roll-out device fleets for students and experiment with bring your own device (BYOD) and 1-to-1 device initiatives. As more schools move in this direction, bandwidth usage will amplify and exert additional pressure on existing networks. Network utilization and student device deployments go hand in hand. In some areas, where population growth is tempered and much more controlled, internal infrastructure can be more slowly developed. However, in more densely populated urban areas, or in locations where a large volume of school sites have added student devices or intertwined Internet use in the classroom, the growth in network utilization can be exponential from year-to-year or even month-to-month. The difference between 90 students and 9,000 students is significant when considering the coordination and support needed to grow a network and meet the expectations of a modern learning environment. Using network management tools, CENIC and the K12HSN have observed this growth first hand within several network node sites, such as Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE). Figure 1 below shows one example: During December 2013, average utilization at the OCDE node site was just over 1 Gbps. During December 2013, average utilization at the Orange County Office of Education node site was just over 3.5 Gbps. By December 2014, just one year later, average utilization increased by 100 percent. Additionally, there were spikes in network usage at the OCDE node that grew during the school year, at some points topping out near the 10 Gbps available to them. These periods of maximum usage can paralyze a network and hinder the very access educators and students now depend upon. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 28

29 Figure 1: Network Utilization at the Orange County Department of Education Node Site The same experience with yearly bandwidth consumption can be seen at the node site at RCOE as shown in Figure 2 below. The growth trajectory within Riverside was impacted by a $42 million technology bond at Coachella Valley Unified School District to rebuild wireless infrastructure and provide mobile devices to all of its 19,500 students. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 29

30 Figure 2: Network Utilization at the Riverside County Department of Education Node Site Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 2 30

31 Section 3 Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Survey Methodology How was the statewide connectivity needs assessment in K-12 public schools in California designed, administered and analyzed? Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 3 31

32 Section 3 Statewide Connectivity Needs Assessment: Survey Methodology Senate Bill 852, provision (2)(c)(1) of Item , requires that an assessment of existing network connectivity infrastructure be carried out. The Budget bill specifies that this assessment should take student population (enrollment) at respective school sites into consideration and compare existing Internet usage and speeds with those required to implement the computer-based assessments included in the state s assessment system. To satisfy this requirement, a statewide connectivity needs assessment was carried out by K12HSN to determine the current state of network connectivity in K 12 public schools. This 50-item survey (Appendix 3: Needs Assessment Tool) included questions on the following topics: Adequacy of current connectivity Profile of current connectivity On-site technical capacity: local area network and wireless access On-site technical capacity: staffing On-site technical capacity: devices Past expenditures of federal, state, and local funding to support network connectivity Planned expenditures of federal, state, and local funding to support network connectivity How Survey School Sites Were Chosen Working from a list of all K-12 public and charter schools in California, schools that were a part of the BIIG program were removed. From the remaining 9,846 public schools a random sample of 500 schools was generated using the Excel random number generator. The list of schools was sorted based on these random numbers and the first 500 schools formed the survey pool. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 3 32

33 Data Collection The 48 county offices of education (COEs) in which sample schools were located were subcontracted to support schools in the collection of survey responses. The sample of 500 schools was grouped by county and each county received its list of schools to survey. Surveying was primarily accomplished by phone. This survey collection method was advantageous because the staff person assigned to perform the data collection in each COE was a technology expert and had the knowledge to ask clarifying questions when responses were unclear. The COE interviewers participated in webinars and conference calls hosted by K12HSN to brief them on the task and guide them in their data collection. K12HSN staff provided technical assistance throughout the process. A total of 442 school sites responded, representing an 88.4% response rate. K12HSN staff reviewed data as it was entered in the FluidReview system and any missing data elements were noted and steps were taken to obtain the missing information. See Appendix 4 for a list of sites selected to complete the needs assessment. Groupings Besides data to help answer the questions required by the legislation, data on school characteristics were captured in the survey to provide a means of grouping (disaggregating) the responses by distinguishing characteristics. This data included rural/urban classification, school size (measured by student enrollment), and others characteristics (e.g., school district and/or county) that might also be useful. One issue with disaggregating results on too narrow a grouping characteristic is that the sample may be too small to hold statistical significance. For the present analysis, only the rural/urban classification was used as a disaggregation field, although deeper analysis using other grouping characteristics captured in the survey is possible. In this survey with 442 responses, 368 (83 percent) of schools were classified as urban while 74 (17 percent) were rural. Grouping by this characteristic is useful because urban schools are usually situated closer to established infrastructure such as existing fiber optic telecommunications cabling, allowing for a more economical extension of high-speed service to the school. In addition, because of the denser infrastructure in urban areas, it is often more economical to bring in a secondary service to allow continuing Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 3 33

34 operation if the primary service is interrupted. On the other hand, rural schools may be isolated, creating challenges for extending last mile infrastructure to them or even their associated community. Considerations To the extent that the results of the needs assessment are used in this report for estimating costs to achieve a given level of adequacy, the reader should note that this data will provide ranges of estimates rather than exact values. The sample size (5 percent of all schools) was confidence tested at a 95% confidence level and shown to be adequate to accurately predict the mean student enrollment of the state at large, and by extension, all of the parameters of the survey. Additional effort may be required (for example, other available data sources could be cross-tabulated with these results) in order to narrow the range of cost estimates that derive from the results of the needs assessment. Connecting California s : Supplemental Report Section 3 34