As Amended
SEC. 37-151-17. Council for Education Technology; membership; duties and responsibilities.
(1) There is established the Council for Education Technology which shall be an advisory group attached to the State Board of Education. The council shall develop a master plan for education technology.
(2) The council shall consist of the State Superintendent of Education, the Executive Director of the Central Data Processing Authority, the Executive Director of Mississippi Educational Television (ETV), the Executive Director of the Mississippi Library Commission, the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and the Commissioner of Higher Education, who shall serve as ex officio voting members and four (4) members appointed within thirty (30) days after July 1, 1994, as follows:
(a) One (1) member appointed by the State Board of Education;
(b) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor; and
(c) One (1) member appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development. All appointed members of the council shall have a demonstrated knowledge in an area of technology as defined in Section 37-151-15 (2). All appointments to the council shall be made with the advice and consent of the Senate. A majority of the membership present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for the official conduct of business.
(3) Members shall be appointed for four-year terms and may be reappointed. Members may be reimbursed for mileage and actual and necessary expenses in accordance with state law, and members who are not state officers or employees shall receive per diem as authorized in Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972.
(4) Immediately upon receiving notice of the appointment of all members, the State Superintendent of Education shall call an organizational meeting. At this meeting the State Superintendent of Education shall preside as temporary chairman, and the council shall elect from among the members a chairman and any other officers it deems necessary, and define the duties of the officers.
(5) Meetings shall be held at least four (4) times per year, or upon call of the chairman, at a time and place designated by the chairman. The State Department of Education shall provide staff support for the council.
(6) The duties and responsibilities of the council shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) Developing a long-range master plan for the efficient and equitable use of technology at all levels from primary school through higher education, including vocational and adult education. The plan shall focus on the technology requirements of classroom instruction, literacy laboratories, student record management, financial and administrative management, distance learning and communications as they relate to the state's performance goals for students. The plan shall be presented to the Central Data Processing Authority for approval;
(b) Creating, overseeing and monitoring a well-planned and efficient statewide network of technology services designed to meet the educational and informational needs of the schools;
(c) Working with private enterprise to encourage the development of technology products specifically designed to answer Mississippi's educational needs;
(d) Encouraging an environment receptive to technological progress in education throughout the state; and
(e) Working with other state entities to maximize the use and benefit of the state's technology infrastructure, to avoid duplication of public and private resources and to maximize the purchasing ability of the state. When appropriate, shared resources and competitive bidding shall be used.
All contracts, requests for proposals and bid awards shall be subject to the approval of the Central Data Processing Authority.
SOURCES: Laws, 1994, ch. 581, Sec. 19; 1995, ch. 518, Sec. 1, eff from and after July 1, 1995