Maine Learning Technology Initiative Grades 7-12

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 102
POLICY CODE: IHAJ

TO : Superintendents of Schools, Principals, Business Managers, Technology Coordinators
FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner
DATE: May 20, 2009
RE: Maine Learning Technology Initiative Grades 7-12

The State of Maine budget is in the final stages of review. Please note the proposed language related to the Maine Learning Technology Initiative at the end of this letter.

We recognize that we are much later in the calendar year than we had hoped to be at this stage of the new proposed deployment. We appreciate your patience and attention to this information and these required actions. In order for the Department and Apple, Inc. to prepare, deliver, and implement the next phase of the program, it is imperative that local and State work be closely integrated to prepare for the Fall. Please review the materials below and return the necessary forms and paperwork by no later than 12 pm, May 29, 2009.

For all Public Schools serving grades 7-12, please download “MLTI Participation Packet 2009” at:

http://www.maine.gov/mlti/deployment/

The MLTI Project team at the Department of Education will be hosting several one-hour conference calls for any questions around this process. Please call the following number during one of these times:

CALL INFO:
1-877-760-2043
Passcode: 939403

DATES & TIMES: Thursday, May 21, 9-10 am
Thursday, May 21, 3-4 pm
Friday, May 22, 9-10 am

For any questions about this process, please contact Steve Vose at (207) 592-5537, steve.vose@maine.gov, Laura Brown at (207) 624-6746, laura.brown@maine.gov, or Jeff Mao at (207) 624-6634.

Proposed Budgetary language Sec. GGG-1. Lease-purchase authorization; Maine Learning Technology Initiative. Pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 1587, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services on behalf of the Department of Education may enter into financing arrangements in fiscal year 2009-10 for the acquisition of portable computer systems for 7th grade, 8th grade and high school students and educators to support the operations of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program. The financing agreements may not exceed 4 years in duration and $69,696,000 in principal costs for the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program. The interest rate may not exceed 7.5%, and the total interest costs may not exceed $5,227,220. The annual principal and interest costs must be paid from the appropriate line category allocations in the Department of Education. The State is authorized to extend the provisions of the lease purchase agreement on behalf of school administrative units as long as all costs of the extension are borne by the school administrative unit.

Sec. GGG-2. Effect on state and local share of school funding; findings. The Legislature recognizes that the expansion of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program authorized pursuant to this Part requires the commitment of state and local funding in fiscal years 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 at a time when the amount of the State General Fund appropriation for the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program is declining and may continue to decline due to significant disruptions to the state and national economies. The Legislature also recognizes that those school administrative units that choose to participate in the expansion of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program authorized pursuant to this Part may decide to commit a significant portion of the targeted technology resource funds allocated to the participating school administrative units pursuant to Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15681, subsection 1 to fund the cost of participating in the program.

Sec. GGG-3. Legislative intent; option to voluntarily participate. It is the intent of the Legislature that nothing in this Part requires a school administrative unit to participate in the expansion of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program. It is also the intent of the Legislature that neither the expansion of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative program under this Part nor the benefits provided under this program to participating school administrative units serve as justification to decrease other funds appropriated or allocated to school administrative units currently participating in the middle school program established for 7th and 8th grade students and educators and funded by State General Fund appropriations allocated to the middle school laptop program pursuant to Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15689-A, subsection 8.