Here’s what’s at stake for Magic Valley children:
Cassia County
The Cassia district is one of the state’s largest Idaho Education Network users.“There’s a lot of scrambling going on,” spokeswoman Debbie Critchfield said.
School trustees will open bids Thursday seeking providers for next school year. Trustees are slated to make a decision Feb. 24.
District officials are also talking with providers about stepping in for the next four months, Critchfield said, but a decision hasn’t been made.
The Idaho Department of Education will reimburse districts for broadband. But until then, Cassia schools could feel the pinch.
“Some money will have to come out of the general fund that we had not planned on,” Critchfield said. She estimates it will cost about $5,000 per month to keep broadband service.
The district applied for federal e-rate money for next school year and is waiting to hear back.
Two-thirds of Declo High School seniors are taking a required math class over the IEN. That’s because the school couldn’t find a qualified teacher. Students at Oakley and Raft River high schools also take classes remotely.
The district will make sure students can earn credits they need to graduate, Critchfield said. “We have every motivation in the world to accommodate the situation and make it so the students feel the least bumps in the road.”
Twin Falls
District administrators are discussing options with service providers, spokeswoman Eva Craner said, but haven’t reached a formal agreement.It could cost an estimated $8,000 per month with Education Networks of America, which includes a federal e-rate discount. It would cost up to $14,000 monthly using other providers.
Canyon Ridge High School students take a College of Southern Idaho calculus class over the IEN. And a dual-credit psychology class is broadcast to other districts.
Kimberly
Kimberly schools already have broadband Internet access, paid for using federal e-rate money.But four students use the IEN to take a Twin Falls-based psychology class. And a student from another district is taking a statistics class originating in Kimberly.
Superintendent Luke Schroeder said the district will find other ways to deliver the content.
Murtaugh
Students use the IEN to take required classes such as speech, which is broadcast from Weiser.But Murtaugh schools have another Internet provider and want to increase bandwidth to accommodate distance classes.
If the IEN goes dark Sunday, it could take a week before a different system is running, Superintendent Michele Capps said.
Castleford
The 320-student district doesn’t use the IEN for remote classes but relies on the Internet access.Superintendent Andy Wiseman said he’s talking with Internet providers and hopes to make a switch to a contract as early as Monday.
©2015 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho)
