Meeting Minutes – Steering Committee June 14, 1999
GV BOCES, LeRoy

Attendees: S.Uebbing, J.McCabe, C. Manaseri,  B.Smith, J. Marinelli, J. Backer, B Ouderkirk  C.Sorenson,
                    A. Perry   

Absent: T. Phillips

Genesee Valley BOCES Issues

Jack McCabe, Bob Smith, and Beverly Ouderkirk summarized issues between Genesee Valley districts and EduTech service/communications. J. McCabe indicated that a response to a GV issues memo was sent to B. Smith and B. Ouderkirk. B. Smith reiterated that many of the issues could be resolved with improved communications. B Ouderkirk and J. McCabe discussed the series of meeting between GV BOCES and EduTech to discuss ways to improve communications(with meetings scheduled for 6/23 and 7/27). C. Manaseri suggested that technology be used as a way to improve communications.   
 
SAA (Systems Assurance Analysis) Report

Camille Sorenson updated the group as to the status of the SAA reeingineering process. Outlined were the steps that a number of EduTech and District teams have taken to review, document, and measure the existing steps in the process. Sorenson indicated that the next step is to organization implementation efforts into two areas – automation and communications. Various areas of the process will be automated to streamline the process, this will also result in the elimination of numerous steps. The second step is improving 
communications in a number of interdependent steps in the process.  
Discussion comments included –
•	C. Manaseri requested further detail of the process
•	S. Uebbing suggested to use one point of contact vendors as a solution and/or to model EduTech operations with one point of contact as vendors employ(i.e. IBM). J. McCabe indicated that your EduTech Project Coordinator is districts one central point of contact 
•	J. Backer asked the question if more districts are using in-district techs. C. Sorenson indicated that some districts are hiring their own techs and some are using the shared EduTech service.
•	J. McCabe reminded the group of the cooperative vs. the vendor philosophy of EduTech         

Private School Issues

C. Sorenson described a request of the Waterloo CSD to connect St.Mary’s parochial school to their district thereby giving the school full access to LAKENet. In addition, there is a desire on behalf of the non public schools participating in the Title III grant in our region to have LAKENet access as well. A. Perry then outlined the steps EduTech has taken in contacting the State Education Department for a policy ruling. A. Perry contacted the Office of Technology Policy , Chuck DeVoe asking – 1)can a non public connect to a publicly funded/built network, 2)can the public school get aid on the connection, 3)can the public school charge the nonpublic. DeVoe referred the issue to Joe Porter of the Office of Counsel for a legal opinion. A. Perry will relay the legal opinion to the committee when received.

Steering Committee discussion followed –
•	Do we have the authority to allow the connection, if so do we have the authority to deny the connection as well.
•	C. Manaersi opposed the LAKENet access without a charge
•	B. Backer opposed the connection, with concerns of the non publics utilizing member network capacity
•	S. Uebbing indicated that the first step is to get SED/legal opinion
•	B. Smith questioned how do we allow some into the network and deny others. Under what circumstances. Can we stop or impose restrictions.

Title III Grant

Amy Perry updated the group on the status of this year’s application. Application is in, all districts are participating with the exception of Honeyoe and York. Included in the grant is the addition of the Nioga Library system Internet connection (5 libraries in the GV region); Access Learning Environments and Training; Remote dial in, (working with Gail Evans from WFL for Regional Curriculum Organizer, training.). Decisions regarding the awarding of the grant should be out within the week. One summary page of the grant application will be placed in the Steering Committee folder(collection) in Docushare)

Summer Meeting Agenda
It was decided that the EduTech Steering Committee Summer Meeting will be August 23,  8:30 – 4:00.

Tentative Agenda Items –

Priority 1,  Discussion -  Role of the Steering Committee, governance, vision related to instructional technology,   
                                         timing of meetings  (adjusting meeting schedule based on the need for information i.e. 
                                         more meetings during the budget cycle)

Priority 1,  Discussion -  Goals of the Steering Committee, review current year progress, establish next year’s

Priority 2,  Discussion -  Communications – use of technology, access through another BOCES, what happens      
                                         to EduTech budget surplus, how do we get good news out, etc.
Priority 3,   Analysis/Proposal  - Per Call pricing
                   Report – R & D
                   Report – Further details on SAA reeingineering

Test Scoring Software 

C. Sorenson briefly outlined a new tool  - Cognos, used by a number of Regional Information Centers across the state which allows their districts  to search for cause, effect, trends of student achievement based on data extracted and stored in a data warehouse. S. Uebbing indicated favorable results using a similar tool at Canandaigua. C. Sorenson will set up a presentation illustrating the product during the summer.  

Miscellaneous

B. Ouderkirk indicated that Yvonne Watkins, Geneseo Superintendent, will take Ray Fashano’s place on the Steering Committee.