BILL NUMBER: AB 678	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hall

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to amend Section 51871.5 of the Education Code, relating to
education technology.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 678, as introduced, Hall. Education technology.
   Existing law requires a school district to have a current 3- to
5-year education technology plan as a precondition to receiving a
technology grant administered by the State Department of Education.
    The Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to develop
guidelines and criteria to be included in the education technology
plan. The guidelines and criteria are required to include a component
to educate pupils and teachers on the appropriate and ethical use of
information technology in the classroom, Internet safety, the manner
in which to avoid committing plagiarism, the concept, purpose, and
significance of a copyright so that pupils are equipped with the
skills necessary to distinguish lawful from unlawful online
downloading, and the implications of illegal peer-to-peer network
file sharing.
    The Superintendent is required to ensure that each school
district has access to technical assistance and an approved online
technology plan builder that the department determines is in
compliance with state and federal requirements. The Superintendent is
required to maintain a record of school districts that have a 3- to
5-year education technology plan and to make that information
available to interested public agencies.
    This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 51871.5 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   51871.5.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that education
technology planning be accomplished in the most comprehensive manner
possible. To that end, the  current  practice of
developing education technology plans for each funding program
 should be   was  replaced with a
comprehensive local planning process that  will enable
  enables  school districts to apply for grants on
an ongoing basis and  assist   assists  in
utilizing available education technology programs.
   (b)  On or after January 1, 2005, as   As
 a precondition to receiving a technology grant administered by
the department, a school district shall have a current three- to
five-year education technology plan. The state board may waive this
requirement if it determines that the applicant school district made
a good faith effort to develop a plan, but for reasons beyond its
control, the  school    district cannot develop the
plan before receipt of the technology grant.
   (c)  On or before July 1, 2007, the   The
 Superintendent shall develop guidelines and criteria 
for inclusion   to be included  in the education
technology plan required pursuant to subdivision (b). The guidelines
and criteria shall include  , but are not limited to,  a
component to educate pupils and teachers on the appropriate and
ethical use of information technology in the classroom, Internet
safety, the manner in which to avoid committing plagiarism, the
concept, purpose, and significance of a copyright so that pupils are
equipped with the skills necessary to distinguish lawful from
unlawful online downloading, and the implications of illegal
peer-to-peer network file sharing.
   A school district that, on July 1, 2008, has a current three- to
five-year education technology plan that complies with subdivision
(b) is not required to comply with this subdivision until after its
plan expires or is voluntarily replaced.
   (d)  On or after January 1, 2005, the   The
 Superintendent shall ensure that each school district has
access to technical assistance and an approved online technology plan
builder that the department determines is in compliance with state
and federal requirements.
   (e) The department shall maintain a record of school districts
that have a three- to five-year education technology plan and shall
make that information available to interested public agencies.