The School District shall loan, upon request of an individual or a group of individual students, to all students legally attending nonpublic elementary or secondary schools located in the School District, instructional computer hardware which is designated for use in any public elementary or secondary schools of the State or is approved by any school authorities as such term is defined in Education Law Section 2(12). Such instructional computer hardware is to be loaned free to such children, commencing with the 2007-2008 school year, subject to such rules and regulations as are or may be prescribed by the Board of Regents and school authorities.

 

The School District shall not be required to loan instructional computer hardware to nonpublic school students in excess of the instructional computer hardware acquired pursuant to Education Law Section 753. Instructional computer hardware shall be loaned on an equitable basis to children attending nonpublic schools in the District and to students with disabilities residing in the District who attend programs under the provisions of Education Law Sections 4401(2)(c), 4401(2)(e), 4401(2)(g),

4401(2)(i), and 4401(2)(1). However, the School District shall not be required to loan to children attending nonpublic schools in the District, or to such students with disabilities, instructional computer hardware purchased with local or federal funds or with State funds, other than Instructional Computer Hardware Aid funds.

 

Such instructional computer hardware shall be required for use as a learning aid in a particular class or program. Instructional computer hardware containing computer software programs which are religious in nature or content shall not be purchased or loaned by the School District.

 

Loan of Instructional Hardware to Nonpublic School Students

 

In accordance with Education Law Section 754, the District will loan instructional computer hardware to all pupils legally attending nonpublic elementary or secondary schools located within the Marcus Whitman School District who request such hardware. Requests may be presented directly to the lending District or, with the consent of the lending District, to an appropriate official of the nonpublic school which the student attends. The form of request used by a lending District may provide for a guarantee by a parent or guardian for the return of such hardware or, in the case of loss or damage, for payment of the value thereof.

 

The District has established June 1 as the date by which such requests for the purchase and loan of instructional computer hardware must be received by the District unless otherwise authorized in accordance with law and Commissioner's Regulations.School authorities shall adopt regulations specifying the date by which written requests for the purchase and loan of instructional computer hardware must be received by the District. Notice of the date shall be given to all nonpublic schools in the School District. Such date shall not be earlier than the first day of June of the school year prior to that for which such instructional computer hardware is being requested. For a child not attending a nonpublic school prior to June first, the parent/guardian may submit a written request for instructional computer hardware within thirty (30) days after such child is enrolled in the nonpublic school. In no event, however, shall a request made later than the times otherwise provided pursuant to Education Law Section 754 be denied where a reasonable explanation is given for the delay in making the request.

 

Such instructional computer hardware shall remain the property of the lending District and shall bear an identifying label. The school authorities of each District shall establish lending procedures which apply to students in public and nonpublic schools, and shall inform the authorities of such schools of these procedures.

 

Instructional Computer Hardware and Technology Equipment Apportionment

 

The School District shall be eligible for an apportionment under the provisions of Education Law

Section 753 for approved expenses for:

 

1)     The  purchase  or  lease  of  micro  and/or  mini  computer  equipment  or  terminals  for instructional purposes; or

 

2)    Technology equipment with a useful life used in conjunction with or in support of educational programs including but not limited to video, solar energy, robotic, satellite, laser and such other equipment as the Commissioner of Education shall approve; or

3)     The repair of such equipment and training/staff development for instructional purposes. (NOTE: Computer hardware expenses incurred for instructional purposes and eligible for State Aid

pursuant to Education Law Section 3602(26) are defined in 8 NYCRR Section 175.25.)

 

Such aid shall be provided pursuant to the Instructional Computer Technology Plan developed by the District which specifies requirements for each School District's Technology Plan, including an assurance of the Superintendent of Schools, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, that the School District has provided for the loan of instructional computer hardware to students legally attending nonpublic schools pursuant to Education Law Section 754.

 

The School District shall not be required to purchase or otherwise acquire instructional computer hardware or technology equipment, the cost of which exceeds the amount of state aid provided pursuant to Education Law Section 753.

 

Expenses aided pursuant to Section 753 shall not be eligible for aid pursuant to any other provision of Education Law.

The School District shall maintain a separate record of expenditures incurred from State aid received pursuant to Education Law Section 753 and the Rules of the Board of Regents Section 21.3.

 

Instructional Computer Hardware

 

Instructional computer hardware shall mean those items of equipment eligible for State aid pursuant to 8 NYCRR Section 175.25(b), including:

 

1)     Mini-computers;

 

2)      Microcomputers;

 

3)      Peripheral devices, including printers, video display plotters, and desk storage units;

 

4)      Telecommunications hardware, including modems;

 

5)       Special hardware boards;

 

6)      Cables;

 

7)     Audio, video, touch-sensitive and other electronic to human machine interface hardware;

and

 

8)     Other such computer hardware that may be required for the operation of a computer-based instructional program. (Graphing or scientific calculators with a useful life and necessary to meet the State learning standards are considered other such computer hardware as may be required for the operation of a computer-based instructional program.)

 

Such instructional computer hardware shall remain the property of the lending District and shall bear an identifying label. The District has established lending procedures which apply to students in public and nonpublic schools, and shall inform the authorities of such schools of these procedures. The payment of tuition under Article 89 of the Education Law (relating to children with disabilities) is deemed to be an equitable loan to children for whom such tuition is paid, and the provisions of Section

21.3 of the Rules of the Board of Regents shall not apply.

 

All instructional computer hardware shall be returned to the official designated by the lending District as the custodian thereof upon the request of such official. The lending District may agree that such hardware may be stored upon the property of a nonpublic school, in which event the lending District shall furnish the nonpublic school with an inventory of the hardware loaned to the individual students attending such school, and the nonpublic school authorities shall advise the lending District of any hardware which has not been returned, with the name and last known address of the borrower.

 

Instructional computer hardware shall be loaned free to all eligible students. No charges, except as provided for in Section 21.3(b)(3) (i.e., payment for loss or damage), may be levied against individual students, parents or schools for the cost of instructional computer hardware or for expenditures related to freight, postage, distribution, storage, recordkeeping or administration.

 

Instructional Computer Technology Plans

 

The  School District has  developed and  maintains  a  plan,  in  a  format  prescribed  by  the

Commissionerof Education, for the use of the instructional computer technology equipment.

 

The District's Instructional Computer Technology Plan includes:

    1)     A description of the number and type of instructional computer technologies to be used and how they will be applied to the overall K through 12 instructional program;

 

2)     Provision for the maintenance and repair of equipment, consistent with the five-year capital assets preservation plan as provided for in Education Law Section 3602(6) and Commissioner's Regulations Section 155.1(a)(4);

 

3)     Provision  for  staff  development  to  demonstrate  how  classroom  teachers  will  use instructional computer technology across the K through 12 curriculum; and

 

4)     Anassurance of the Superintendent of Schools, in a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, that the School District has provided for the loan of instructional computer hardware to students legally attending nonpublic schools pursuant to Education Law Section 754.

 

The District Plan may also provide for the School District's participation in any federal and State funded instructional technology initiatives, including but not limited to the universal service discount program pursuant to the  Federal Telecommunications Act of  1996 and  the Federal Technology Literacy Challenge Program.