| What's wrong with our public schools? |
E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g .
Kids are learning less and we're spending more. Half the kids entering local colleges
need remedial math and English.
Kids are learning less and we're spending more. Half the kids entering local colleges
need remedial math and English.
| Mike Moses (center) working the courtroom at 2004 Robin Hood trial in Austin; Moses is a former Dallas ISD supe, former Texas education commissioner--and an ERDI consultant (see Education, Inc.). |
From teachers raping their students to administrators stealing, the moral climate in our
schools is alarming
Many conservatives were content to allow the federal government an unprecedented
encroachment into education on the grounds that somebody needed to hold the schools
accountable. Yet the feds are already caving on NCLB. Worse, local schools have figured
ways to game accountability tests, as have the states. The NAEP is NOT the nation's
report card because the rules are not uniform.
schools is alarming
Many conservatives were content to allow the federal government an unprecedented
encroachment into education on the grounds that somebody needed to hold the schools
accountable. Yet the feds are already caving on NCLB. Worse, local schools have figured
ways to game accountability tests, as have the states. The NAEP is NOT the nation's
report card because the rules are not uniform.
Despite all odds we succeeded in running off one tyrant and assuming
control over our own lives in 1776 and we can do so again. The same
can-do blood runs through our veins as it did in our forefathers.'
Today's tyrants don't dress in ermine and royal robes. Instead they
wear business suits and assign themselves the best parking spot at the
administration building in our local school districts.
I'm going to stop here because I'd rather focus on solving this mess
than creating a litany.
control over our own lives in 1776 and we can do so again. The same
can-do blood runs through our veins as it did in our forefathers.'
Today's tyrants don't dress in ermine and royal robes. Instead they
wear business suits and assign themselves the best parking spot at the
administration building in our local school districts.
I'm going to stop here because I'd rather focus on solving this mess
than creating a litany.
| King George III |
The Second Revolution--made possible by the Internet
The Internet has allowed us to be in touch with each other in ways that those who came
before us could only dream of. We who have been involved in holding our schools
accountable at the grassroots level are finding each other, sharing our stories and
experiences and finding similarities and common themes. The Internet has also allowed
us to begin to hold our schools accountable. I myself file most of my public records
requests by email (see "Accountability" for step-by-step directions).
The groups I helped found in two separate local school districts were organized mostly via
email (see "Practical How-To's").
How we start is here, right where we are--one person asking one question, one school at a
time.
This is an exciting and very positive time to be involved in reforming our schools--I see so
much good being accomplished along these lines right now, and I hope you will, too.
The links at left will guide you to where you want to go.
The Internet has allowed us to be in touch with each other in ways that those who came
before us could only dream of. We who have been involved in holding our schools
accountable at the grassroots level are finding each other, sharing our stories and
experiences and finding similarities and common themes. The Internet has also allowed
us to begin to hold our schools accountable. I myself file most of my public records
requests by email (see "Accountability" for step-by-step directions).
The groups I helped found in two separate local school districts were organized mostly via
email (see "Practical How-To's").
How we start is here, right where we are--one person asking one question, one school at a
time.
This is an exciting and very positive time to be involved in reforming our schools--I see so
much good being accomplished along these lines right now, and I hope you will, too.
The links at left will guide you to where you want to go.
| Connecting the Education, Inc. Dots |
Tech deals can sink
school execs
From eSchool News staff
and wire service reports
July 29, 2005—The top
technology administrator of
the Dallas Independent
School District (DISD) has
been placed on paid
administrative leave pending
the outcome of an
investigation into whether he
broke any rules with his
frequent use of a luxury
fishing vessel owned by a
company holding hundreds
of millions of dollars in
eRate contracts with the
district. Ruben Bohuchot,
DISD's associate
superintendent for
technology services, could
be the latest example of
what has become a
disturbing recent trend: high-
profile school leaders
coming under fire for alleged
violations involving ed-tech
deals.
Bohuchot acknowledges
taking free cruises on a 59-
foot vessel owned by
executives of Houston-
based Micro System
Enterprises [Sun
Microsystems] every five or
six weeks. According to the
Dallas Morning News, Micro
System has been listed as
the recipient of more than
96% of the $369 million in
eRate funding the district
has applied for since 2003,
though district officials say
the company is the lead
partner in a consortium of
vendors who split the
funding.
Bohuchot told the Dallas
newspaper these boat trips
did not influence the
district's bidding process,
even though he wrote the
specifications for jobs and
negotiated the final terms
after contracts were
awarded. Micro System
President Frankie Wong
is a friend of his, Bohuchot
said, adding that vendors on
all DISD computer contracts
worth more than $50,000 are
chosen by a committee over
which he has no influence.
District policies bar
employees from accepting
gifts or favors from vendors
other than novelties such as
key chains or coffee mugs.
To rent a boat comparable to
the Micro System yacht
typically costs more than
$1,800 per day, according to
the Dallas newspaper.
Wong and two executives
from companies with close
ties to Micro System also
have given thousands of
dollars in campaign
contributions to a city school
board member, the Dallas
Morning News reported.
Dallas school trustee Ron
Price reportedly received
$25,000 in political
donations from Wong, Larry
Lehman of Giddings, Texas,
and Frank Trifilio of
Houston. Lehman and
Trifilio work for Acclaim
Professional Services, one
of the consortium's other
members.
Price says he consulted a
lawyer and the Texas Ethics
Commission before
accepting these donations.
He says he was told that as
long as the donations were
from individuals and not
companies, he could take
them.
The three executives also
have given more than
$15,000 in campaign
contributions to four Houston
board members, according
to the Houston Chronicle.
Since 2003, their firms have
received a collective $43
million for services delivered
to that city's school system,
the Chronicle reported.
A disturbing trend
With its suspension of
Bohuchot, Dallas joins a
growing list of U.S. school
districts dealing with
allegations of questionable
technology purchases, many
of which involve third-party
contractors accused of using
bribes to curry favor with
school administrators.
Former Prince George's
County, Md., schools chief
Andre Hornsby found
himself in similar straits
earlier this year. Hornsby left
the school system amid
allegations that a $1 million
deal inked between the
district and Emeryville, Calif.-
based LeapFrog
SchoolHouse was aided by
a personal relationship he
had with one of the
company's sales
representatives....
school execs
From eSchool News staff
and wire service reports
July 29, 2005—The top
technology administrator of
the Dallas Independent
School District (DISD) has
been placed on paid
administrative leave pending
the outcome of an
investigation into whether he
broke any rules with his
frequent use of a luxury
fishing vessel owned by a
company holding hundreds
of millions of dollars in
eRate contracts with the
district. Ruben Bohuchot,
DISD's associate
superintendent for
technology services, could
be the latest example of
what has become a
disturbing recent trend: high-
profile school leaders
coming under fire for alleged
violations involving ed-tech
deals.
Bohuchot acknowledges
taking free cruises on a 59-
foot vessel owned by
executives of Houston-
based Micro System
Enterprises [Sun
Microsystems] every five or
six weeks. According to the
Dallas Morning News, Micro
System has been listed as
the recipient of more than
96% of the $369 million in
eRate funding the district
has applied for since 2003,
though district officials say
the company is the lead
partner in a consortium of
vendors who split the
funding.
Bohuchot told the Dallas
newspaper these boat trips
did not influence the
district's bidding process,
even though he wrote the
specifications for jobs and
negotiated the final terms
after contracts were
awarded. Micro System
President Frankie Wong
is a friend of his, Bohuchot
said, adding that vendors on
all DISD computer contracts
worth more than $50,000 are
chosen by a committee over
which he has no influence.
District policies bar
employees from accepting
gifts or favors from vendors
other than novelties such as
key chains or coffee mugs.
To rent a boat comparable to
the Micro System yacht
typically costs more than
$1,800 per day, according to
the Dallas newspaper.
Wong and two executives
from companies with close
ties to Micro System also
have given thousands of
dollars in campaign
contributions to a city school
board member, the Dallas
Morning News reported.
Dallas school trustee Ron
Price reportedly received
$25,000 in political
donations from Wong, Larry
Lehman of Giddings, Texas,
and Frank Trifilio of
Houston. Lehman and
Trifilio work for Acclaim
Professional Services, one
of the consortium's other
members.
Price says he consulted a
lawyer and the Texas Ethics
Commission before
accepting these donations.
He says he was told that as
long as the donations were
from individuals and not
companies, he could take
them.
The three executives also
have given more than
$15,000 in campaign
contributions to four Houston
board members, according
to the Houston Chronicle.
Since 2003, their firms have
received a collective $43
million for services delivered
to that city's school system,
the Chronicle reported.
A disturbing trend
With its suspension of
Bohuchot, Dallas joins a
growing list of U.S. school
districts dealing with
allegations of questionable
technology purchases, many
of which involve third-party
contractors accused of using
bribes to curry favor with
school administrators.
Former Prince George's
County, Md., schools chief
Andre Hornsby found
himself in similar straits
earlier this year. Hornsby left
the school system amid
allegations that a $1 million
deal inked between the
district and Emeryville, Calif.-
based LeapFrog
SchoolHouse was aided by
a personal relationship he
had with one of the
company's sales
representatives....
KPMG Chosen by Dallas ISD Supt. Mike
Moses
By Donna Garner
EducationNews.org
August 30, 2005
It is important to track what is happening in the Dallas
ISD now....but let's always remember who the
superintendent was when this possible E-rate scandal
began--Dr. Mike Moses. He "happened" to resign just at
the right time--July 2004. Wasn't that "lucky" for him? In
today's Dallas Morning News, we learn that the feds have
filed subpoenas with the DISD; but one more thing which
we need to follow is the situation with KPMG who did the
supposed $50,000 audit of [Dallas ISD ass't sup't
Ruben] Bohuchot even though no written document can
be located.
It was KPMG whom Mike Moses chose to audit Bohuchot,
and it was KPMG (I presume this is the same KPMG)
which was in the news just yesterday. The federal
government indicted nine KPMG executives and fined the
company $456 million for its unethical and criminal
practices.*
Out of all the auditing firms that Mike Moses could have
chosen, it is interesting that he turned to KPMG to conduct
an audit of Bohuchot, who was in charge of negotiating
the $125 million technology contract with [Sun
Microsystems]. Could it be that "Birds of a feather do
indeed flock together"?
Moses
By Donna Garner
EducationNews.org
August 30, 2005
It is important to track what is happening in the Dallas
ISD now....but let's always remember who the
superintendent was when this possible E-rate scandal
began--Dr. Mike Moses. He "happened" to resign just at
the right time--July 2004. Wasn't that "lucky" for him? In
today's Dallas Morning News, we learn that the feds have
filed subpoenas with the DISD; but one more thing which
we need to follow is the situation with KPMG who did the
supposed $50,000 audit of [Dallas ISD ass't sup't
Ruben] Bohuchot even though no written document can
be located.
It was KPMG whom Mike Moses chose to audit Bohuchot,
and it was KPMG (I presume this is the same KPMG)
which was in the news just yesterday. The federal
government indicted nine KPMG executives and fined the
company $456 million for its unethical and criminal
practices.*
Out of all the auditing firms that Mike Moses could have
chosen, it is interesting that he turned to KPMG to conduct
an audit of Bohuchot, who was in charge of negotiating
the $125 million technology contract with [Sun
Microsystems]. Could it be that "Birds of a feather do
indeed flock together"?
| THE "SIR VEZA" Owned by Dallas ISD vendor Sun Microsystems and used by then-Dallas ISD tech czar Ruben Bohuchot. NOTE: "Cerveza" is Spanish for "beer." PHOTO/Vernon Bryant-Dallas Morning News |
DISD flip-flops on files
The News obtains files months after
officials denied they existed
By PETE SLOVER and KENT FISCHER / The Dallas
Morning News
06:20 AM CST on Thursday, January 5, 2006
Months after denying the existence of any records
concerning a $48,500 outside investigation into
ousted technology chief Ruben Bohuchot, Dallas
school district officials have produced two dozen
pages of documents related to the probe.
DISD released the records only after The Dallas
Morning News learned of their existence from
another source and asked for them. Under state
law, it is illegal for a government agency to withhold
documents requested by the public.
The newly released documents do not include any
findings, and they support district officials' account
that the results of the investigation were delivered
orally by the firm KPMG at a closed meeting of
trustees in March 2004.
Nor do the documents reveal anything about why the
examination of Mr. Bohuchot's personal finances
and relationships with vendors failed to turn up his
frequent free use of luxury yachts provided by one of
the district's top technology vendors.
That boat use, reported by The News in July,
eventually led to Mr. Bohuchot's resignation from the
district and an ongoing FBI investigation. On the
heels of that report, the newspaper requested under
the state's Public Information Act any district
paperwork related to the examination.
The district replied that it had no such documents.
The News obtains files months after
officials denied they existed
By PETE SLOVER and KENT FISCHER / The Dallas
Morning News
06:20 AM CST on Thursday, January 5, 2006
Months after denying the existence of any records
concerning a $48,500 outside investigation into
ousted technology chief Ruben Bohuchot, Dallas
school district officials have produced two dozen
pages of documents related to the probe.
DISD released the records only after The Dallas
Morning News learned of their existence from
another source and asked for them. Under state
law, it is illegal for a government agency to withhold
documents requested by the public.
The newly released documents do not include any
findings, and they support district officials' account
that the results of the investigation were delivered
orally by the firm KPMG at a closed meeting of
trustees in March 2004.
Nor do the documents reveal anything about why the
examination of Mr. Bohuchot's personal finances
and relationships with vendors failed to turn up his
frequent free use of luxury yachts provided by one of
the district's top technology vendors.
That boat use, reported by The News in July,
eventually led to Mr. Bohuchot's resignation from the
district and an ongoing FBI investigation. On the
heels of that report, the newspaper requested under
the state's Public Information Act any district
paperwork related to the examination.
The district replied that it had no such documents.
MIKE MOSES WAS
BOHUCHOT'S BOSS
Mr. Bohuchot came to work in the
Dallas ISD in 1997 and was in
charge of preparing bid
specifications, making initial
contact with potential vendors,
and negotiating final contract
terms--all during the time that
Dr. Mike Moses (the
highest-paid superintendent in
the U. S. making over $400,000
a year) was superintendent. In
2000 Bohuchot started doing
business with Sun
Microsystems. In 2002
BOHUCHOT'S BOSS
Mr. Bohuchot came to work in the
Dallas ISD in 1997 and was in
charge of preparing bid
specifications, making initial
contact with potential vendors,
and negotiating final contract
terms--all during the time that
Dr. Mike Moses (the
highest-paid superintendent in
the U. S. making over $400,000
a year) was superintendent. In
2000 Bohuchot started doing
business with Sun
Microsystems. In 2002
| Bohuchot (right) with award, colleagues (PHOTO/DISD) |
the 47-foot yacht was purchased, and the federally
funded E-Rate contracts worth hundreds of millions of
dollars were signed between Sun Microsystems and
Dallas ISD--all under Dr. Mike Moses' watch.
CARTOON PROMPTS AUDIT
On August 16, 2005, the public learned that the incident
which seemingly prompted Moses to schedule an "audit"
of Bohuchot was an anonymous cartoon that surfaced.
This cartoon called both Moses and Bohuchot "crooks."
To top it off, The Dallas Morning News reports today that
the Dallas ISD school board may never have received a
legitimate written report of this supposed audit. Lest
readers forget an important fact while working through
this tangled web, Dr. Mike Moses was at the helm of the
Dallas ISD during this whole time; and it was his
decision as superintendent to decide what came
before the Dallas School Board and what did not.
funded E-Rate contracts worth hundreds of millions of
dollars were signed between Sun Microsystems and
Dallas ISD--all under Dr. Mike Moses' watch.
CARTOON PROMPTS AUDIT
On August 16, 2005, the public learned that the incident
which seemingly prompted Moses to schedule an "audit"
of Bohuchot was an anonymous cartoon that surfaced.
This cartoon called both Moses and Bohuchot "crooks."
To top it off, The Dallas Morning News reports today that
the Dallas ISD school board may never have received a
legitimate written report of this supposed audit. Lest
readers forget an important fact while working through
this tangled web, Dr. Mike Moses was at the helm of the
Dallas ISD during this whole time; and it was his
decision as superintendent to decide what came
before the Dallas School Board and what did not.
Spokesman Donald
Claxton said
Wednesday that the
district seeks to "fulfill
all open-records
requests presented to
the district's legal
office in a timely,
complete and
professional fashion."
Mr. Claxton suggested
that the News' original
request for "any and
all" documents relating
to the KMPG audit was
Claxton said
Wednesday that the
district seeks to "fulfill
all open-records
requests presented to
the district's legal
office in a timely,
complete and
professional fashion."
Mr. Claxton suggested
that the News' original
request for "any and
all" documents relating
to the KMPG audit was
BRACEWELL: FROM
$7,500 TO $700,000
UNDER MOSES
The readers also need to
remember that Dr. Mike Moses left
Dallas ISD after The Dallas
Morning News revealed his private
consultancies.
Before Moses came to Dallas,
Bracewell & Patterson law firm
earned around $7,500 for the work
it did for the district. After Moses
came, the law firm received more
$7,500 TO $700,000
UNDER MOSES
The readers also need to
remember that Dr. Mike Moses left
Dallas ISD after The Dallas
Morning News revealed his private
consultancies.
Before Moses came to Dallas,
Bracewell & Patterson law firm
earned around $7,500 for the work
it did for the district. After Moses
came, the law firm received more
| DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and "2004-2005 PAC Chairman William Mundinger, Archon Group, at the final Dallas 60 Dinner for the year." (SOURCE--The Real Estate Council PAC) |
overbroad and that the district did not have the legal
option of asking for a clarification of the original
request.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said Wednesday
that he had reviewed the News' request and thought
the district "should have dug a little deeper" to find
the records. He said he plans to meet with DISD's
legal department to review how it responds to public
information requests.
Mr. Claxton said the district, when faced with a
broad request, lacks the authority to ask a
requester to be more specific.
Lawyer's advice
That position, however, apparently contradicts the
advice of the district's own lawyer, Leticia
McGowan.She wrote an article for a school lawyers'
group on how to handle public information requests,
specifically requests that ask for "any and all"
documents.
"The public information officer can and should work
with the requestor to narrow the scope of
voluminous requests," she wrote in the November
2004 article. "Most requestors are reasonable, and a
five-minute phone call can significantly reduce the
scope of the request."
Ms. McGowan's only phone communication with The
News on the matter was in August, after the paper
alerted her that the district had missed a deadline to
provide the records. She left a phone message
explaining that no records were turned over because
DISD had "no documents pertaining to" the audit.
Since then, another source identified at least four
documents in the district's possession pertaining
to the study. When presented with a new request
describing the nature and dates of those six records,
the district provided four of them covering several
pages late last month–with no explanation of why
they were not provided earlier.
The district said it could not locate and produce two
of the documents the source described; an initial
letter of agreement between DISD and KPMG, and
a final letter from KPMG to the district offering to do a
follow-up to the original investigation, six months
after the completion of the first inquiry.
None of the documents mention Mr. Bohuchot by
name, instead referring to the investigation of
"certain DISD employees." But, Mr. Bohuchot and
district officials have always described the probe as
centering on him, and the final letter closing the
investigation was marked, "File re: Ruben."
Mr. Bohuchot said he requested the inquiry in mid-
2003, after anonymous complaints to the district that
he had received favors from computer vendors. That
initial request was rejected, he said. But late in
2003, then-Superintendent Mike Moses agreed to
the investigation.
"Obviously, I believe these allegations are false, or
the individual would bring them forward by name
rather than do so anonymously," Dr. Moses wrote to
trustees just prior to KPMG beginning its
investigation. Dr. Moses has declined to comment
on Mr. Bohuchot's case.
Consulting deal
The newly released papers include a 10-page letter
of agreement signed Dec. 1, 2004.
KPMG consultants would bill $175 to $475 an hour
to look at whether Mr. Bohuchot was living beyond
his means, and whether he was getting improper
benefits from district vendors. The firm said it
would look at public records and rely on Mr.
Bohuchot to completely disclose his personal
finances.
"Our ability to identify relevant information will
depend upon the subject's cooperation," KPMG
partner Brian H. Jones wrote to then-DISD Deputy
Superintendent for Business Services Larry
Groppel, who signed off on the deal.
The contract called for KPMG's findings to be
presented in "a mutually agreeable format, such as
a Word document." A final letter from KPMG to the
district, dated April 9, 2004, shows that the final
report was delivered orally at a closed trustees'
meeting in March 2004. There was no paperwork
explaining how that presentation was chosen as the
"mutually agreeable format" called for by the contract.
option of asking for a clarification of the original
request.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said Wednesday
that he had reviewed the News' request and thought
the district "should have dug a little deeper" to find
the records. He said he plans to meet with DISD's
legal department to review how it responds to public
information requests.
Mr. Claxton said the district, when faced with a
broad request, lacks the authority to ask a
requester to be more specific.
Lawyer's advice
That position, however, apparently contradicts the
advice of the district's own lawyer, Leticia
McGowan.She wrote an article for a school lawyers'
group on how to handle public information requests,
specifically requests that ask for "any and all"
documents.
"The public information officer can and should work
with the requestor to narrow the scope of
voluminous requests," she wrote in the November
2004 article. "Most requestors are reasonable, and a
five-minute phone call can significantly reduce the
scope of the request."
Ms. McGowan's only phone communication with The
News on the matter was in August, after the paper
alerted her that the district had missed a deadline to
provide the records. She left a phone message
explaining that no records were turned over because
DISD had "no documents pertaining to" the audit.
Since then, another source identified at least four
documents in the district's possession pertaining
to the study. When presented with a new request
describing the nature and dates of those six records,
the district provided four of them covering several
pages late last month–with no explanation of why
they were not provided earlier.
The district said it could not locate and produce two
of the documents the source described; an initial
letter of agreement between DISD and KPMG, and
a final letter from KPMG to the district offering to do a
follow-up to the original investigation, six months
after the completion of the first inquiry.
None of the documents mention Mr. Bohuchot by
name, instead referring to the investigation of
"certain DISD employees." But, Mr. Bohuchot and
district officials have always described the probe as
centering on him, and the final letter closing the
investigation was marked, "File re: Ruben."
Mr. Bohuchot said he requested the inquiry in mid-
2003, after anonymous complaints to the district that
he had received favors from computer vendors. That
initial request was rejected, he said. But late in
2003, then-Superintendent Mike Moses agreed to
the investigation.
"Obviously, I believe these allegations are false, or
the individual would bring them forward by name
rather than do so anonymously," Dr. Moses wrote to
trustees just prior to KPMG beginning its
investigation. Dr. Moses has declined to comment
on Mr. Bohuchot's case.
Consulting deal
The newly released papers include a 10-page letter
of agreement signed Dec. 1, 2004.
KPMG consultants would bill $175 to $475 an hour
to look at whether Mr. Bohuchot was living beyond
his means, and whether he was getting improper
benefits from district vendors. The firm said it
would look at public records and rely on Mr.
Bohuchot to completely disclose his personal
finances.
"Our ability to identify relevant information will
depend upon the subject's cooperation," KPMG
partner Brian H. Jones wrote to then-DISD Deputy
Superintendent for Business Services Larry
Groppel, who signed off on the deal.
The contract called for KPMG's findings to be
presented in "a mutually agreeable format, such as
a Word document." A final letter from KPMG to the
district, dated April 9, 2004, shows that the final
report was delivered orally at a closed trustees'
meeting in March 2004. There was no paperwork
explaining how that presentation was chosen as the
"mutually agreeable format" called for by the contract.
| David Thompson Bracewell & Patterson |
than $700,000 from its work in the Dallas ISD--all during
the same
time that Moses earned "tens of thousands" for doing
private consulting work for Bracewell & Patterson yet
failed to mention his relationship with the law firm when
he was hired by the school board.
My, my, my--I wonder how many more incidents of
possible graft, corruption, and wasted taxpayers' dollars
will surface from the years that Dr. Mike Moses was in
Dallas. Because Texas has practiced what is called the
"Robin Hood" method of school finance, what happens
in Dallas impacts all taxpayers throughout the state.
*http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/
29/AR2005082902065.html
the same
time that Moses earned "tens of thousands" for doing
private consulting work for Bracewell & Patterson yet
failed to mention his relationship with the law firm when
he was hired by the school board.
My, my, my--I wonder how many more incidents of
possible graft, corruption, and wasted taxpayers' dollars
will surface from the years that Dr. Mike Moses was in
Dallas. Because Texas has practiced what is called the
"Robin Hood" method of school finance, what happens
in Dallas impacts all taxpayers throughout the state.
*http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/
29/AR2005082902065.html
Oracle Corp. chairman
unveils $199 internet
device for schools
From eSchool News staff and wire
service reports
June 1, 2000—Oracle Corp. chairman
Larry Ellison is banking that he didn't
have the wrong product five years ago—only the wrong
market. This time, he's targeting your schools.
Ellison unveiled a $199 internet machine on May 8
targeted at the education and consumer markets. The
presentation was made before an audience of students
at a performing arts high school in Dallas.
Calling it "this amazing $199 computer," Ellison said the
device "is going to allow us to put a computer on every
child's desk" by 2005.
Five years ago, Oracle and Sun Microsystems Inc.
joined forces to create so-called network computers for
business customers. The machines were a
commercial bust.
Greg Blatnik, an analyst with Zona Research, said the
earlier $500 computer was designed mostly to break the
grip of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system on
corporate America's desktops.
The new machine, he said, might be better targeted.
"We've got many examples of internet appliances that
are at least finding some niche in the market,
sometimes a substantial niche," Blatnik said. "Schools
need products that are pretty solid and failure-proof ...
These types of devices fit into that market really well."
Unlike a personal computer, the device lacks a hard
drive. Instead, users who connect it to the internet will be
able to check eMail and surf the web.
Ellison said Oracle, the giant database software
company based in Redwood City, Calif., will donate
1,150 of the machines to 23 Dallas schools.
unveils $199 internet
device for schools
From eSchool News staff and wire
service reports
June 1, 2000—Oracle Corp. chairman
Larry Ellison is banking that he didn't
have the wrong product five years ago—only the wrong
market. This time, he's targeting your schools.
Ellison unveiled a $199 internet machine on May 8
targeted at the education and consumer markets. The
presentation was made before an audience of students
at a performing arts high school in Dallas.
Calling it "this amazing $199 computer," Ellison said the
device "is going to allow us to put a computer on every
child's desk" by 2005.
Five years ago, Oracle and Sun Microsystems Inc.
joined forces to create so-called network computers for
business customers. The machines were a
commercial bust.
Greg Blatnik, an analyst with Zona Research, said the
earlier $500 computer was designed mostly to break the
grip of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system on
corporate America's desktops.
The new machine, he said, might be better targeted.
"We've got many examples of internet appliances that
are at least finding some niche in the market,
sometimes a substantial niche," Blatnik said. "Schools
need products that are pretty solid and failure-proof ...
These types of devices fit into that market really well."
Unlike a personal computer, the device lacks a hard
drive. Instead, users who connect it to the internet will be
able to check eMail and surf the web.
Ellison said Oracle, the giant database software
company based in Redwood City, Calif., will donate
1,150 of the machines to 23 Dallas schools.
The machine is being marketed by
The New Internet Computer Co., an
eight-employee firm based in San
Francisco. Ellison, who owns about
one-fourth of Oracle, is the primary
owner of the privately held company.'
The computer, named the NIC (New
Internet Computer), is being made by
The New Internet Computer Co., an
eight-employee firm based in San
Francisco. Ellison, who owns about
one-fourth of Oracle, is the primary
owner of the privately held company.'
The computer, named the NIC (New
Internet Computer), is being made by
2006 CoSN
K-12 School
Networking
Conference
Sponsors
Platinum
Dell Inc.
HP
Intel
Library Video Company
SAFARI Video Networks
Gold
Apple
ETS
Gateway
Horizon Wimba, Inc.
IBM Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Silver
IntelliTools, Inc.
Juniper Networks
Kurzweil Education
Systems, Inc.
Oracle Corporation
SAS in School
SchoolNet
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Bronze
Atomic Learning, Inc.
BellSouth Foundation
LearningStation
Lexmark International, Inc.
Riverdeep, Inc.
Contributing
Assurance Data, Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
ClassLink, Inc.
Discovery Education
K12 Inc.
North American Council for
Online Learning (NACOL)
Promethean, Inc.
Red Hat, Inc.
Technology Leader
Scholarship Sponsors
BellSouth Foundation
HP
A/V and Technical Support
Library Video Company
SAFARI Video Networks
Conference Media Partner
eSchool News Network
Awards
Inspiration Software, Inc.
Awards Media Partner
Scholastic Administr@tor
Email Stations
Dell Inc.
K-12 School
Networking
Conference
Sponsors
Platinum
Dell Inc.
HP
Intel
Library Video Company
SAFARI Video Networks
Gold
Apple
ETS
Gateway
Horizon Wimba, Inc.
IBM Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Silver
IntelliTools, Inc.
Juniper Networks
Kurzweil Education
Systems, Inc.
Oracle Corporation
SAS in School
SchoolNet
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Bronze
Atomic Learning, Inc.
BellSouth Foundation
LearningStation
Lexmark International, Inc.
Riverdeep, Inc.
Contributing
Assurance Data, Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
ClassLink, Inc.
Discovery Education
K12 Inc.
North American Council for
Online Learning (NACOL)
Promethean, Inc.
Red Hat, Inc.
Technology Leader
Scholarship Sponsors
BellSouth Foundation
HP
A/V and Technical Support
Library Video Company
SAFARI Video Networks
Conference Media Partner
eSchool News Network
Awards
Inspiration Software, Inc.
Awards Media Partner
Scholastic Administr@tor
Email Stations
Dell Inc.
a subcontractor in Taiwan, said Gina Smith, a former
newspaper and television reporter tapped by Ellison to
be the new firm's chief executive.
The machine runs on a Linux operating system, has a
266-megahertz microprocessor, 64 megabytes of
memory, a 56K modem, and 24-times CD-ROM drive.
Monitors are not included, although Oracle's
philanthropic arm will give away monitors to schools,
Smith said.
Schools would still have to obtain internet access
elsewhere, either through paid or free internet service
providers, though most schools already have networks
through which students can connect to the internet.
Cheap internet devices have tried and failed before, and
the NIC will face competition from machines such as the
i-opener from Netpliance Inc., which currently costs $99,
though users have to commit to a $21.95 monthly
internet access fee.
Stephen Baker, an analyst at PC Data in Reston, Va.,
questioned whether the NIC will do any more for
Ellison's considerable wealth than the earlier network
computer.
"Chances are, at $199, the profit potential is kind of
limited. The way you make money is add-on fees,"
such as for internet access, Baker said. The NIC,
however, is not going to get involved in providing internet
access, officials said.
"We're making money at $199, but it's a narrow margin,"
Smith said. "The way you make up for that is in volume.
We're going to sell a gazillion of these."
The question remains whether schools will buy them.
"When you look at education today, you're getting more
and more applications on the internet. This is a perfect
vehicle for getting to those applications," said Ruben
Bohuchot, chief technology officer for the Dallas
Independent School District.
"Do you need a hard drive to store data? No, there's a
server somewhere that can do it for you," Bohuchot said.
"What does it matter if [those data sit] in my office at
home or somewhere else?"
The NIC devices aren't intended for data-intensive
applications such as video editing. But for simple word
processing and internet access, Bohuchot thinks they
might be ideal for schools.
"There's a lot of people who want to have access to the
internet, and this is an affordable way to do this," he said
newspaper and television reporter tapped by Ellison to
be the new firm's chief executive.
The machine runs on a Linux operating system, has a
266-megahertz microprocessor, 64 megabytes of
memory, a 56K modem, and 24-times CD-ROM drive.
Monitors are not included, although Oracle's
philanthropic arm will give away monitors to schools,
Smith said.
Schools would still have to obtain internet access
elsewhere, either through paid or free internet service
providers, though most schools already have networks
through which students can connect to the internet.
Cheap internet devices have tried and failed before, and
the NIC will face competition from machines such as the
i-opener from Netpliance Inc., which currently costs $99,
though users have to commit to a $21.95 monthly
internet access fee.
Stephen Baker, an analyst at PC Data in Reston, Va.,
questioned whether the NIC will do any more for
Ellison's considerable wealth than the earlier network
computer.
"Chances are, at $199, the profit potential is kind of
limited. The way you make money is add-on fees,"
such as for internet access, Baker said. The NIC,
however, is not going to get involved in providing internet
access, officials said.
"We're making money at $199, but it's a narrow margin,"
Smith said. "The way you make up for that is in volume.
We're going to sell a gazillion of these."
The question remains whether schools will buy them.
"When you look at education today, you're getting more
and more applications on the internet. This is a perfect
vehicle for getting to those applications," said Ruben
Bohuchot, chief technology officer for the Dallas
Independent School District.
"Do you need a hard drive to store data? No, there's a
server somewhere that can do it for you," Bohuchot said.
"What does it matter if [those data sit] in my office at
home or somewhere else?"
The NIC devices aren't intended for data-intensive
applications such as video editing. But for simple word
processing and internet access, Bohuchot thinks they
might be ideal for schools.
"There's a lot of people who want to have access to the
internet, and this is an affordable way to do this," he said
Challenges Just
Starting at KPMG
Executives Must
Restore Firm, Battle
Lawsuits
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Three months ago, as
Timothy P. Flynn took the
reins as chairman of KPMG
LLP, he vowed to pursue
"meaningful change" at the
nation's fourth-largest
accounting firm.
Little did anyone realize how
demanding that promise
would be.
KPMG yesterday agreed to
pay $456 million and to
clean up its business
practices as part of a
deferred prosecution
agreement with federal
authorities, thus avoiding a
grand jury indictment that
could have sent clients and
partners heading for the
exits.
But the challenges for Flynn
and the firm's new
management team are far
from over.
Next on their to-do list:
Boost morale of the firm's
1,600 partners; fight
lawsuits filed by investors
who took part in abusive tax
shelter deals; devise a way
to spread the firm's financial
pain while still investing in
its infrastructure. Finally they
must try to stave off
Mississippi's attorney
general, who according to
news reports may file
similar criminal charges
against KPMG.
"This is an assignment with
difficulties I wouldn't wish on
anyone," Lynn E. Turner,
former chief accountant at
the Securities and
Exchange Commission,
said in an interview. "If Flynn
keeps the boat afloat and
moving forward without
sinking, it'll be a major
accomplishment."
It has been an intense 12
weeks for the boyish-looking
Flynn, 48. Along with new
Vice Chairman Sven Erik
Holmes and Deputy
Chairman John B.
Veihmeyer, he has spent
the past several weeks
engaged in feverish
discussions with the U.S.
attorney in Manhattan--and
making sure that partners
involved in the tax shelter
improprieties have been
shown the door. All three of
the firm's new leaders met
in June with senior Justice
Department officials, whom
they implored not to charge
KPMG with a crime.
Flynn has been chairman of
the firm since early June,
when predecessor Eugene
D. O'Kelly announced he
had advanced-stage cancer.
O'Kelly had served just half
of his six-year term when his
health problems surfaced.
While Flynn is not well
known among Washington
regulators, he had won
respect as head of the firm's
audit practice and overseer
of MCI Inc.'s restatement
after an $11 billion
accounting fraud, the largest
in history.
O'Kelly said at the time he
stepped aside that he was
"fully confident" that Flynn
and Veihmeyer would guide
the firm through a series of
obstacles. Veihmeyer had
headed the firm's D.C. office
and served as an executive
committee member of the
Greater Washington Board
of Trade.
The sudden change at the
top nonetheless shook the
partnership -- and its
entrenched culture.
In the past, KPMG had been
famous for pushing back on
regulatory initiatives and
shareholder lawsuits. For
years, the firm refused to
turn over tax shelter
documents to the
government even as rivals
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
LLP and Ernst & Young LLP
paid millions of dollars to
settle Internal Revenue
Service charges over the
questionable deals.
One of KPMG's most
important signals about a
new tone came June 16,
when the firm issued a
statement taking "full
responsibility for the
unlawful conduct by former
KPMG partners."
In general terms, the
statement laid out
aggressive steps that
Holmes, former chief judge
of the U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of
Oklahoma, had taken to
clean house since he joined
the firm in March as vice
chairman for legal affairs. In
all, about 30 partners
involved in the tax shelter
scheme have been fired for
cause or pressured to
resign.
At the same time, the new
leaders are contesting
lawsuits filed by wealthy
clients who bought the tax
shelters -- signaling in court
papers that they will attack
former customers who
allegedly misrepresented
the facts of the deals to the
IRS. The day-to-day
management of legal
operations rests with
Holmes, a former partner at
the hard-knuckled District
law firm Williams &
Connolly LLP and a former
counsel for the Baltimore
Orioles.
All three men also have
been taking pains to reach
out to KPMG's lenders as
well as dozens of board
members and executives at
client companies -- a list that
includes MCI and General
Electric Co. Some clients
say the "full disclosure"
model has been a welcome
approach.
"When this first came out, I
got a call from Tim saying,
'This is what we're going to
do,' and admitting blame,"
said Dennis R. Beresford,
an MCI board member and
an accounting professor at
the University of Georgia. "My
reaction was, that's a pretty
gutsy thing to do. Personally,
I commended him for it."
"Today, in some sense, is a
new beginning," said
Douglas A. Warner, who
chairs the audit committee
at General Electric, KPMG's
largest audit client. Although
GE will review its auditor this
year as every year, "right
now, we take them on their
word that a lot of things have
changed," he said.
Yet the new leaders' stance
has sometimes provoked
discontent within the firm,
particularly from partners
who had been involved in
the tax deals and who
thought the firm was
sacrificing them to save
itself from prosecution. Eight
former executives and a
lawyer who worked with
them were indicted
yesterday.
"This case is unlike any
recent fraud case in that
there is no cooking the
books or sneaking around.
The KPMG partners are
innocent men who were
carrying out the official
KPMG business plan
created and ordered by the
highest levels of the firm's
management, who have
now thrown their own
partners overboard without
the ability to pay for their
legal defense, contrary to
years of firm policy and
certainly not the way the
American system of justice
should work," said Michael
J. Madigan, a partner at Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
LLP in the District who
represents John Lanning,
KPMG's former vice
chairman of tax services.
Experts said that under
Justice Department
guidelines, companies often
must accede to government
demands to stave off
criminal charges against the
business itself. That is
especially so for a
professional services firm,
for which reputation and
standing are crucial assets.
Allan D. Koltin, president
and chief executive of PDI
Global Inc., said his
company's search division
heard from a larger than
usual number of KPMG
employees in the past week,
many of them senior
managers worried that the
amount of the settlement
would reduce the number of
employees promoted to
partner. "The typical
comment is, 'If ever there
was a time to look, now's the
time,' " he said.
But at least one KPMG
employee, stepping out of
the company's office at 20th
and M streets NW, was
upbeat. "The sentiments are
high," said the man, who
spoke on condition of
anonymity and compared
his firm with the accounting
firm that collapsed in 2002
in connection with Enron
Corp. "We're not Arthur
Andersen."
Staff writers Elissa Silverman
and Dana Hedgpeth and
researcher Richard Drezen
contributed to this report.
Starting at KPMG
Executives Must
Restore Firm, Battle
Lawsuits
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Three months ago, as
Timothy P. Flynn took the
reins as chairman of KPMG
LLP, he vowed to pursue
"meaningful change" at the
nation's fourth-largest
accounting firm.
Little did anyone realize how
demanding that promise
would be.
KPMG yesterday agreed to
pay $456 million and to
clean up its business
practices as part of a
deferred prosecution
agreement with federal
authorities, thus avoiding a
grand jury indictment that
could have sent clients and
partners heading for the
exits.
But the challenges for Flynn
and the firm's new
management team are far
from over.
Next on their to-do list:
Boost morale of the firm's
1,600 partners; fight
lawsuits filed by investors
who took part in abusive tax
shelter deals; devise a way
to spread the firm's financial
pain while still investing in
its infrastructure. Finally they
must try to stave off
Mississippi's attorney
general, who according to
news reports may file
similar criminal charges
against KPMG.
"This is an assignment with
difficulties I wouldn't wish on
anyone," Lynn E. Turner,
former chief accountant at
the Securities and
Exchange Commission,
said in an interview. "If Flynn
keeps the boat afloat and
moving forward without
sinking, it'll be a major
accomplishment."
It has been an intense 12
weeks for the boyish-looking
Flynn, 48. Along with new
Vice Chairman Sven Erik
Holmes and Deputy
Chairman John B.
Veihmeyer, he has spent
the past several weeks
engaged in feverish
discussions with the U.S.
attorney in Manhattan--and
making sure that partners
involved in the tax shelter
improprieties have been
shown the door. All three of
the firm's new leaders met
in June with senior Justice
Department officials, whom
they implored not to charge
KPMG with a crime.
Flynn has been chairman of
the firm since early June,
when predecessor Eugene
D. O'Kelly announced he
had advanced-stage cancer.
O'Kelly had served just half
of his six-year term when his
health problems surfaced.
While Flynn is not well
known among Washington
regulators, he had won
respect as head of the firm's
audit practice and overseer
of MCI Inc.'s restatement
after an $11 billion
accounting fraud, the largest
in history.
O'Kelly said at the time he
stepped aside that he was
"fully confident" that Flynn
and Veihmeyer would guide
the firm through a series of
obstacles. Veihmeyer had
headed the firm's D.C. office
and served as an executive
committee member of the
Greater Washington Board
of Trade.
The sudden change at the
top nonetheless shook the
partnership -- and its
entrenched culture.
In the past, KPMG had been
famous for pushing back on
regulatory initiatives and
shareholder lawsuits. For
years, the firm refused to
turn over tax shelter
documents to the
government even as rivals
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
LLP and Ernst & Young LLP
paid millions of dollars to
settle Internal Revenue
Service charges over the
questionable deals.
One of KPMG's most
important signals about a
new tone came June 16,
when the firm issued a
statement taking "full
responsibility for the
unlawful conduct by former
KPMG partners."
In general terms, the
statement laid out
aggressive steps that
Holmes, former chief judge
of the U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of
Oklahoma, had taken to
clean house since he joined
the firm in March as vice
chairman for legal affairs. In
all, about 30 partners
involved in the tax shelter
scheme have been fired for
cause or pressured to
resign.
At the same time, the new
leaders are contesting
lawsuits filed by wealthy
clients who bought the tax
shelters -- signaling in court
papers that they will attack
former customers who
allegedly misrepresented
the facts of the deals to the
IRS. The day-to-day
management of legal
operations rests with
Holmes, a former partner at
the hard-knuckled District
law firm Williams &
Connolly LLP and a former
counsel for the Baltimore
Orioles.
All three men also have
been taking pains to reach
out to KPMG's lenders as
well as dozens of board
members and executives at
client companies -- a list that
includes MCI and General
Electric Co. Some clients
say the "full disclosure"
model has been a welcome
approach.
"When this first came out, I
got a call from Tim saying,
'This is what we're going to
do,' and admitting blame,"
said Dennis R. Beresford,
an MCI board member and
an accounting professor at
the University of Georgia. "My
reaction was, that's a pretty
gutsy thing to do. Personally,
I commended him for it."
"Today, in some sense, is a
new beginning," said
Douglas A. Warner, who
chairs the audit committee
at General Electric, KPMG's
largest audit client. Although
GE will review its auditor this
year as every year, "right
now, we take them on their
word that a lot of things have
changed," he said.
Yet the new leaders' stance
has sometimes provoked
discontent within the firm,
particularly from partners
who had been involved in
the tax deals and who
thought the firm was
sacrificing them to save
itself from prosecution. Eight
former executives and a
lawyer who worked with
them were indicted
yesterday.
"This case is unlike any
recent fraud case in that
there is no cooking the
books or sneaking around.
The KPMG partners are
innocent men who were
carrying out the official
KPMG business plan
created and ordered by the
highest levels of the firm's
management, who have
now thrown their own
partners overboard without
the ability to pay for their
legal defense, contrary to
years of firm policy and
certainly not the way the
American system of justice
should work," said Michael
J. Madigan, a partner at Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
LLP in the District who
represents John Lanning,
KPMG's former vice
chairman of tax services.
Experts said that under
Justice Department
guidelines, companies often
must accede to government
demands to stave off
criminal charges against the
business itself. That is
especially so for a
professional services firm,
for which reputation and
standing are crucial assets.
Allan D. Koltin, president
and chief executive of PDI
Global Inc., said his
company's search division
heard from a larger than
usual number of KPMG
employees in the past week,
many of them senior
managers worried that the
amount of the settlement
would reduce the number of
employees promoted to
partner. "The typical
comment is, 'If ever there
was a time to look, now's the
time,' " he said.
But at least one KPMG
employee, stepping out of
the company's office at 20th
and M streets NW, was
upbeat. "The sentiments are
high," said the man, who
spoke on condition of
anonymity and compared
his firm with the accounting
firm that collapsed in 2002
in connection with Enron
Corp. "We're not Arthur
Andersen."
Staff writers Elissa Silverman
and Dana Hedgpeth and
researcher Richard Drezen
contributed to this report.
COMMENTARY:
Ruben Bohuchot -
Mike Moses - KMPG -
and Larry Groppel
By Donna Garner
January 5, 2006
To refresh everyone's memory:
o Mike Moses was the Dallas
ISD superintendent from the fall of 2000 to Aug. 1,
2004.
o The entire KPMG investigation into Dallas'
technology chief Ruben Bohuchot was done under
Moses' watch.
o Moses' best friend and business manager was
Larry Groppel (who became the interim
superintendent once Moses resigned), and he was
the one who signed off on the deal with KPMG.
Why was the KPMG report not submitted to the
Dallas ISD school board in written form as agreed
upon instead of being submitted in oral form in
executive session in March 2004? It is no wonder
that Moses has refused to make any comments to
The Dallas Morning News since it is obvious that he
tried very hard to sweep the whole matter under the
proverbial "rug." It is also obvious that the Dallas
School board was so intimidated by Moses that they
let him get away with his "rug" strategy. How
convenient that Larry Groppel followed Moses for
a few months and had the opportunity to try to
squelch the KPMG report.
Now that the truth is coming out thanks to the
aggressive probing by The Dallas Morning News, it
is high time that the finger of guilt and accountability
should point to the person who was at the center of
control over the district--Mike Moses. At least The
Dallas Morning News mentioned the dreaded "M"
word in this article even though directing no definite
blame toward Moses. Fortunately for us readers, we
can put 2 + 2 together and come up with a pretty
good idea of where the blame really lies.
Ruben Bohuchot -
Mike Moses - KMPG -
and Larry Groppel
By Donna Garner
January 5, 2006
To refresh everyone's memory:
o Mike Moses was the Dallas
ISD superintendent from the fall of 2000 to Aug. 1,
2004.
o The entire KPMG investigation into Dallas'
technology chief Ruben Bohuchot was done under
Moses' watch.
o Moses' best friend and business manager was
Larry Groppel (who became the interim
superintendent once Moses resigned), and he was
the one who signed off on the deal with KPMG.
Why was the KPMG report not submitted to the
Dallas ISD school board in written form as agreed
upon instead of being submitted in oral form in
executive session in March 2004? It is no wonder
that Moses has refused to make any comments to
The Dallas Morning News since it is obvious that he
tried very hard to sweep the whole matter under the
proverbial "rug." It is also obvious that the Dallas
School board was so intimidated by Moses that they
let him get away with his "rug" strategy. How
convenient that Larry Groppel followed Moses for
a few months and had the opportunity to try to
squelch the KPMG report.
Now that the truth is coming out thanks to the
aggressive probing by The Dallas Morning News, it
is high time that the finger of guilt and accountability
should point to the person who was at the center of
control over the district--Mike Moses. At least The
Dallas Morning News mentioned the dreaded "M"
word in this article even though directing no definite
blame toward Moses. Fortunately for us readers, we
can put 2 + 2 together and come up with a pretty
good idea of where the blame really lies.
CoSN K-12 'School
Networking Conference'
Schedule
March 5-8, 2006
Alexandria, Virginia and
Washington, D.C.
Sunday, March 5, 2006 (full agenda)
11:00 AM-7:00 PM Registration Open
1:00-5:30 PM Pre-Conference Workshop:
Integrated Approaches to Student
Performance: Focusing on AYP and
Beyond...
Sponsored by ENA, ETS,
FirstClass - Open Text Corporation, IBM, Lenovo Americas,
Lexmark International, Inc., Pearson Achievement Solutions,
Riverside Publishing, and SchoolNet, Inc.
Media Partner: T.H.E. Journal
2:00-5:00 PM Pre Conference Workshop: Planning for Improved
Cyber Security
2:00-5:00 PM Pre Conference Workshop: The Ed-Tech Story:
Making the Case for Education Technology
4:00-8:00 PM Exhibitor Set-up
5:30-6:15 PM Coporate Council Meeting (Exclusively for CoSN
Corporate Members)
6:15-7:30 PM Reception (Exclusively for Pre Conference
Workshop Attendees and CoSN's Corporate Members)
Monday, March 6, 2006 (full agenda)
7:00 AM-5:00 PM Registration Open
7:00-9:00 AM Exhibitor Set-up
7:00-9:00 AM Continental Breakfast
7:30-8:50 AM CoSN/SIIA Feedback Focus Group (by invitation
only)
9:00-10:40 AM Welcome Address and Presentation of CoSN's
TEAM and Frank Withrow Education Awards and Plenary Session
I: Measuring the Value of Technology in Education
Sponsored by Inspiration Software, Inc. and Scholastic
Administr@tor
10:40-11:00 AM CoSN's Annual Business Meeting
11:00-11:30 AM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments
will be served)
11:30 AM-12:30 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 1
M101: Total Cost of Ownership for One-to-One Computing - Case
Studies
M102: Meeting Accessibility Requirements With Effective
Teamwork and Proven Technologies
M103: Education Technology Enabling Community Economic
Development
M104: High Tech Backpack of Today - Digital Learning Spaces
of Tomorrow
M105: E-Rate: 2005 Funding Year and Policy Update
M106: Using the Web for Multilingual Instruction
M107: Knowledge to Action to Results (Spotlight Session)
M108: The Impact of Video-on-Demand on Student Retention:
Recent Research (Spotlight Session Hosted by SAFARI Video
Networks)
12:30-2:00 PM Lunch and Vendor-Hosted Roundtables in the
Exhibit Hall
1:00-1:45 PM Luncheon Spotlight Sessions
LS101: Teaching and Learning with Tablet Computing in a One-
to-One Environment (Hosted by Gateway)
LS102: The Emerging Digital Content Ecosystem: Not Just for
Music! (Hosted by Apple)
LS103: One-to-One Handhelds are the Obvious Solution: What
Are We Waiting For?
LS104: The Pitfalls of Negotiating Software Agreements and
How Your School District Can Avoid Them
LS105: First Look at America’s Digital Schools 2006: A Five Year
Forecast
2:00-3:00 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 2
M201: Research Around One-to-One Initiatives
M202: From Educational Portals to Collaborative Learning
Communities
M203: SIF - IT Only Really Works When "it" Works Together
M204: The A-Z's of Data Warehousing
M205: Latest Research on Educational Technology Programs'
Impact on Student Achievement (Part I)
M206: Digital Content and Student Achievement: Researched-
Based Exemplars
M207: NetDay Speak Up 100 - America's Top Schools for
Student Voices in Ed Tech (Spotlight Session)
M208A: Leveraging Open Source to Decrease TCO & Increase
Quality (Spotlight Session Hosted by IBM) - 30 minutes
M208B: Leveraging NCLB Data for Action and Instructional
Strategy Using a Data Warehouse (Spotlight Session Hosted by
Oracle Corporation) - 30 minutes
3:00-3:45 PM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments will
be served)
3:45-4:45 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 3
M301: Using Data (and Teacher Collaboration) to Improve
Individual Student Performance
M302: Toward a One-to-One World: Mobile Computing is the
Lifestyle of Learning (Spotlight Session Hosted by Intel)
M303: Digital Learning Environments: Innovative Changes to
Meet Students' Needs
M304: Preparing Next Generation Learners with Emerging
Technologies
M305: Latest Research on Educational Technology Programs'
Impact on Student Achievement (Part II)
M306: Online Professional Development: Evaluations and
Lessons Learned
M307: Moving Beyond Textbooks (Spotlight Session)
M308A: Reaching More Students with an Online Collaborative
Environment (Spotlight Session Hosted by Horizon Wimba, Inc.) -
30 minutes
M308B: Relational
Technologies in
Education - 30 min.
5:00 PM
Reception with
Exhibitors
6:45-8:45 PM Dinner
and Town Hall Forum
on Copyright & Piracy
: What is the Social
Impact on our Kids?
8:45-10:30 PM
CoSN Late Night Café
Tuesday, March 7,
2006 (full agenda)
7:30-8:30 AM Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45 AM Presentation
of CoSN's Public Sector Champion, Private Sector Champion
and Volunteer of the Year Awards
Sponsored by Inspiration Software, Inc. and Scholastic
Administr@tor
8:45-9:45 AM Plenary Session II: Is One to One our Vision?
9:45-10:15 AM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments
will be served)
10:15-11:15 AM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 4
T101: Lessons Learned From Front Lines of One-to-One
T102: Visionary State Data Strategies
T103: On the Ground Strategies Around 21st Century Literacy
Skills
T104: International Perspectives From Down Under: Australia &
ICT in Schools
T105: Innovative Video Conferencing for Learning
T106: One-to-One Computing That Works (Spotlight Session
Hosted by HP)
10:15 AM-12:15 PM CTO Leadership Forum
11:15-11:30 AM Session Break
11:30 AM-12:30 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION #5
T201: Where Are We Going With One-to-One?
T202: Using Data to Improve Student Achievement and Improve
Teacher Effectiveness
T203: International Perspectives on ICT in Education
T204: Measuring International Innovations in the Use of
Educational Technology
T205: Beyond One-to-One (Spotlight Session Hosted by Dell Inc.)
T206A: Maximizing Third-Party Content and Using Real Time
Data
T206B: Accessible Technologies for All Students: Collaborating
for Student Success
12:30-1:45 PM Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtables and Lunch
1:45 PM Exhibit Hall Closes
1:45-2:45 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 6
T301: Going Beyond ROI to VOI (Value of Investment)
T302: Data Intelligence: Empowering Teachers, Administrators,
Students and Parents
T303: Communicating the Value of Educational Technology
T304: Internet2 Enabling K-12 Education
T305: Digital Content Without Barriers
T306: Research on Virtual Learning
T307: When the Unimaginable Happens - A Testimonial on IT
Disaster Planning (Spotlight Session)
T308A: The Importance of Content Free Learning Tools for
Student Achievement (Spotlight Session Hosted by Inspiration
Software, Inc.) - 30 minutes
T308B: Anytime, Anywhere Learning at Henrico School District
(Spotlight Session Hosted by Microsoft) - 30 minutes
2:45-3:00 PM Refreshment Break
3:00-4:00 PM CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Washington Advocacy Training
Public Policy Boot Camp: Becoming an Advocate for
Technology at the Federal, State and Local Levels
3:00-4:00 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 7
T401: Innovative Data-Driven Decision Making
T402: The Value of 21st Century Skills and ICT Literacy
T403: Future Research and Development of Online Assessment
T404: Collaborating to Use Real-Time Data
T405: Bridging the Home to School Digital Divide
T406: Open Source Comes to Student Desktops (Spotlight
Session)
T407: The Hundred Dollar Laptop in Developing Countries:
Catch-up or LeapFrog? (Spotlight Session)
4:00-4:15 PM Session Break
4:15-5:15 PM Plenary Session III: The Light at the End of the
REVOLUTION - Defining the Future Value of Technology in
Schools
5:30-8:30 PM A Night of Ed Tech Advocates: CoSN's 2nd
Annual Reception and Silent Auction for Advocacy
Sponsored by Cox Communications, Inc. Dell Inc., HP, Juniper
Networks, Pearson Education, Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
Networking Conference'
Schedule
March 5-8, 2006
Alexandria, Virginia and
Washington, D.C.
Sunday, March 5, 2006 (full agenda)
11:00 AM-7:00 PM Registration Open
1:00-5:30 PM Pre-Conference Workshop:
Integrated Approaches to Student
Performance: Focusing on AYP and
Beyond...
Sponsored by ENA, ETS,
FirstClass - Open Text Corporation, IBM, Lenovo Americas,
Lexmark International, Inc., Pearson Achievement Solutions,
Riverside Publishing, and SchoolNet, Inc.
Media Partner: T.H.E. Journal
2:00-5:00 PM Pre Conference Workshop: Planning for Improved
Cyber Security
2:00-5:00 PM Pre Conference Workshop: The Ed-Tech Story:
Making the Case for Education Technology
4:00-8:00 PM Exhibitor Set-up
5:30-6:15 PM Coporate Council Meeting (Exclusively for CoSN
Corporate Members)
6:15-7:30 PM Reception (Exclusively for Pre Conference
Workshop Attendees and CoSN's Corporate Members)
Monday, March 6, 2006 (full agenda)
7:00 AM-5:00 PM Registration Open
7:00-9:00 AM Exhibitor Set-up
7:00-9:00 AM Continental Breakfast
7:30-8:50 AM CoSN/SIIA Feedback Focus Group (by invitation
only)
9:00-10:40 AM Welcome Address and Presentation of CoSN's
TEAM and Frank Withrow Education Awards and Plenary Session
I: Measuring the Value of Technology in Education
Sponsored by Inspiration Software, Inc. and Scholastic
Administr@tor
10:40-11:00 AM CoSN's Annual Business Meeting
11:00-11:30 AM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments
will be served)
11:30 AM-12:30 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 1
M101: Total Cost of Ownership for One-to-One Computing - Case
Studies
M102: Meeting Accessibility Requirements With Effective
Teamwork and Proven Technologies
M103: Education Technology Enabling Community Economic
Development
M104: High Tech Backpack of Today - Digital Learning Spaces
of Tomorrow
M105: E-Rate: 2005 Funding Year and Policy Update
M106: Using the Web for Multilingual Instruction
M107: Knowledge to Action to Results (Spotlight Session)
M108: The Impact of Video-on-Demand on Student Retention:
Recent Research (Spotlight Session Hosted by SAFARI Video
Networks)
12:30-2:00 PM Lunch and Vendor-Hosted Roundtables in the
Exhibit Hall
1:00-1:45 PM Luncheon Spotlight Sessions
LS101: Teaching and Learning with Tablet Computing in a One-
to-One Environment (Hosted by Gateway)
LS102: The Emerging Digital Content Ecosystem: Not Just for
Music! (Hosted by Apple)
LS103: One-to-One Handhelds are the Obvious Solution: What
Are We Waiting For?
LS104: The Pitfalls of Negotiating Software Agreements and
How Your School District Can Avoid Them
LS105: First Look at America’s Digital Schools 2006: A Five Year
Forecast
2:00-3:00 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 2
M201: Research Around One-to-One Initiatives
M202: From Educational Portals to Collaborative Learning
Communities
M203: SIF - IT Only Really Works When "it" Works Together
M204: The A-Z's of Data Warehousing
M205: Latest Research on Educational Technology Programs'
Impact on Student Achievement (Part I)
M206: Digital Content and Student Achievement: Researched-
Based Exemplars
M207: NetDay Speak Up 100 - America's Top Schools for
Student Voices in Ed Tech (Spotlight Session)
M208A: Leveraging Open Source to Decrease TCO & Increase
Quality (Spotlight Session Hosted by IBM) - 30 minutes
M208B: Leveraging NCLB Data for Action and Instructional
Strategy Using a Data Warehouse (Spotlight Session Hosted by
Oracle Corporation) - 30 minutes
3:00-3:45 PM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments will
be served)
3:45-4:45 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 3
M301: Using Data (and Teacher Collaboration) to Improve
Individual Student Performance
M302: Toward a One-to-One World: Mobile Computing is the
Lifestyle of Learning (Spotlight Session Hosted by Intel)
M303: Digital Learning Environments: Innovative Changes to
Meet Students' Needs
M304: Preparing Next Generation Learners with Emerging
Technologies
M305: Latest Research on Educational Technology Programs'
Impact on Student Achievement (Part II)
M306: Online Professional Development: Evaluations and
Lessons Learned
M307: Moving Beyond Textbooks (Spotlight Session)
M308A: Reaching More Students with an Online Collaborative
Environment (Spotlight Session Hosted by Horizon Wimba, Inc.) -
30 minutes
M308B: Relational
Technologies in
Education - 30 min.
5:00 PM
Reception with
Exhibitors
6:45-8:45 PM Dinner
and Town Hall Forum
on Copyright & Piracy
: What is the Social
Impact on our Kids?
8:45-10:30 PM
CoSN Late Night Café
Tuesday, March 7,
2006 (full agenda)
7:30-8:30 AM Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45 AM Presentation
of CoSN's Public Sector Champion, Private Sector Champion
and Volunteer of the Year Awards
Sponsored by Inspiration Software, Inc. and Scholastic
Administr@tor
8:45-9:45 AM Plenary Session II: Is One to One our Vision?
9:45-10:15 AM Dedicated Time with Exhibitors (Refreshments
will be served)
10:15-11:15 AM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 4
T101: Lessons Learned From Front Lines of One-to-One
T102: Visionary State Data Strategies
T103: On the Ground Strategies Around 21st Century Literacy
Skills
T104: International Perspectives From Down Under: Australia &
ICT in Schools
T105: Innovative Video Conferencing for Learning
T106: One-to-One Computing That Works (Spotlight Session
Hosted by HP)
10:15 AM-12:15 PM CTO Leadership Forum
11:15-11:30 AM Session Break
11:30 AM-12:30 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION #5
T201: Where Are We Going With One-to-One?
T202: Using Data to Improve Student Achievement and Improve
Teacher Effectiveness
T203: International Perspectives on ICT in Education
T204: Measuring International Innovations in the Use of
Educational Technology
T205: Beyond One-to-One (Spotlight Session Hosted by Dell Inc.)
T206A: Maximizing Third-Party Content and Using Real Time
Data
T206B: Accessible Technologies for All Students: Collaborating
for Student Success
12:30-1:45 PM Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtables and Lunch
1:45 PM Exhibit Hall Closes
1:45-2:45 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 6
T301: Going Beyond ROI to VOI (Value of Investment)
T302: Data Intelligence: Empowering Teachers, Administrators,
Students and Parents
T303: Communicating the Value of Educational Technology
T304: Internet2 Enabling K-12 Education
T305: Digital Content Without Barriers
T306: Research on Virtual Learning
T307: When the Unimaginable Happens - A Testimonial on IT
Disaster Planning (Spotlight Session)
T308A: The Importance of Content Free Learning Tools for
Student Achievement (Spotlight Session Hosted by Inspiration
Software, Inc.) - 30 minutes
T308B: Anytime, Anywhere Learning at Henrico School District
(Spotlight Session Hosted by Microsoft) - 30 minutes
2:45-3:00 PM Refreshment Break
3:00-4:00 PM CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Washington Advocacy Training
Public Policy Boot Camp: Becoming an Advocate for
Technology at the Federal, State and Local Levels
3:00-4:00 PM CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSION # 7
T401: Innovative Data-Driven Decision Making
T402: The Value of 21st Century Skills and ICT Literacy
T403: Future Research and Development of Online Assessment
T404: Collaborating to Use Real-Time Data
T405: Bridging the Home to School Digital Divide
T406: Open Source Comes to Student Desktops (Spotlight
Session)
T407: The Hundred Dollar Laptop in Developing Countries:
Catch-up or LeapFrog? (Spotlight Session)
4:00-4:15 PM Session Break
4:15-5:15 PM Plenary Session III: The Light at the End of the
REVOLUTION - Defining the Future Value of Technology in
Schools
5:30-8:30 PM A Night of Ed Tech Advocates: CoSN's 2nd
Annual Reception and Silent Auction for Advocacy
Sponsored by Cox Communications, Inc. Dell Inc., HP, Juniper
Networks, Pearson Education, Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
SPONSORS FOR
The 2006
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA
Washington
Advocacy Training
and Events
Presidential
Pearson Education
Senate
Cox Communications, Inc.
Dell Inc.
HP
Juniper Networks
Riverdeep, Inc.
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Technology Leader
Scholarship Sponsors
BellSouth Foundation
HP
The 2006
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA
Washington
Advocacy Training
and Events
Presidential
Pearson Education
Senate
Cox Communications, Inc.
Dell Inc.
HP
Juniper Networks
Riverdeep, Inc.
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Technology Leader
Scholarship Sponsors
BellSouth Foundation
HP
The Consortium for School Networking
K-12 School Networking Conference
NOTE: Oracle a 'Silver' sponsor
Each year, CoSN holds the premier national
technology leadership conference dedicated to
policy and effective implementation from the school
district, state and national perspectives. The
conference attracts more than 800 key technology
decision-makers seeking to learn from other leaders
as we define the future of the Internet and
information technologies in our nation's schools.
Conference Theme
Technology is transforming the world and profoundly
impacting K-12 education. Schools are under
increasing pressure to demonstrate accountability
and increase student achievement. And, we all
know that technology requires resources, but what is
the benefit - or the return on our investment? Can
technology be the catalyst to launch real reform and
true transformation in our schools? How would we
measure the value of the investment when the
educational goal is student achievement?
At CoSN's 11th Annual School Networking
Conference, school technology leaders and
decision makers will examine the educational value
of technology. In addi-
tion, the conference will
explore how visionary
leaders use information
about the value of tech-
nology to drive decision
making and communi-
cate to the community
and other stakeholders.
The conference provides a dynamic and thoughtful
forum to explore the future of technologies that can
personalize instruction and maximize learning.
Learn from the latest research on the effectiveness
of technology and hear from leaders who are
transforming technology investments into value for
our students.
The program will focus on:
Leadership skills: What's essential for technology
decision makers to help lead from investment to
value?
Measuring value: How do we assess technology's
impact on learning?
Understanding the value: How do we communicate
the benefits of technology to stakeholders?
The total cost of technology: How is it measured
and does it equal value?
The use of data: Does data-based decision making
lead to learning transformation?
The role of students: What do they add to the value
equation?
Accessible technology: How does it help all
students achieve success?
The impact of technology use: What does the
research tell us?
Best practices from around the world: What can we
learn from our international colleagues?
Program themes include:
Content and Integration
Accountability and Assessment
Technology Leadership for Transformation
Emerging Learning Tools
Professional Development in an Online Environment
Who Should Attend?
District-level CTOs, CIOs and Technology Directors
District-level Directors for Curriculum, Budget,
Professional Development and Evaluation
Superintendents and Principals
County/Intermediate Unit Technology Coordinators
Representatives from state and national education
associations
State and Federal government officials
Representatives of the private sector
ICT (Information & Communication Technology)
leaders from around the world
6 Great Reasons to Attend
Discuss creative solutions that use the Internet and
technology to improve learning with your peers.
Improve your skills and increase your knowledge
through top-notch educational sessions.
Discover the most up-to-date information on key
educational technology issues that affect your work.
Learn about new and emerging technologies.
Discuss emerging trends and understand their
policy implications.
Connect with private sector leaders who share your
concerns and vision for improving student
achievement.
K-12 School Networking Conference
NOTE: Oracle a 'Silver' sponsor
Each year, CoSN holds the premier national
technology leadership conference dedicated to
policy and effective implementation from the school
district, state and national perspectives. The
conference attracts more than 800 key technology
decision-makers seeking to learn from other leaders
as we define the future of the Internet and
information technologies in our nation's schools.
Conference Theme
Technology is transforming the world and profoundly
impacting K-12 education. Schools are under
increasing pressure to demonstrate accountability
and increase student achievement. And, we all
know that technology requires resources, but what is
the benefit - or the return on our investment? Can
technology be the catalyst to launch real reform and
true transformation in our schools? How would we
measure the value of the investment when the
educational goal is student achievement?
At CoSN's 11th Annual School Networking
Conference, school technology leaders and
decision makers will examine the educational value
of technology. In addi-
tion, the conference will
explore how visionary
leaders use information
about the value of tech-
nology to drive decision
making and communi-
cate to the community
and other stakeholders.
The conference provides a dynamic and thoughtful
forum to explore the future of technologies that can
personalize instruction and maximize learning.
Learn from the latest research on the effectiveness
of technology and hear from leaders who are
transforming technology investments into value for
our students.
The program will focus on:
Leadership skills: What's essential for technology
decision makers to help lead from investment to
value?
Measuring value: How do we assess technology's
impact on learning?
Understanding the value: How do we communicate
the benefits of technology to stakeholders?
The total cost of technology: How is it measured
and does it equal value?
The use of data: Does data-based decision making
lead to learning transformation?
The role of students: What do they add to the value
equation?
Accessible technology: How does it help all
students achieve success?
The impact of technology use: What does the
research tell us?
Best practices from around the world: What can we
learn from our international colleagues?
Program themes include:
Content and Integration
Accountability and Assessment
Technology Leadership for Transformation
Emerging Learning Tools
Professional Development in an Online Environment
Who Should Attend?
District-level CTOs, CIOs and Technology Directors
District-level Directors for Curriculum, Budget,
Professional Development and Evaluation
Superintendents and Principals
County/Intermediate Unit Technology Coordinators
Representatives from state and national education
associations
State and Federal government officials
Representatives of the private sector
ICT (Information & Communication Technology)
leaders from around the world
6 Great Reasons to Attend
Discuss creative solutions that use the Internet and
technology to improve learning with your peers.
Improve your skills and increase your knowledge
through top-notch educational sessions.
Discover the most up-to-date information on key
educational technology issues that affect your work.
Learn about new and emerging technologies.
Discuss emerging trends and understand their
policy implications.
Connect with private sector leaders who share your
concerns and vision for improving student
achievement.
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA
Washington Advocacy
Training and Events
March 7 and 8, 2006 (full
agenda)
Hyatt Regency Crystal City,
Arlington, VA
Sponsored by Cox
Communications, Inc. Dell
Inc., HP, Juniper Networks,
Pearson Education,
Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
3:00-4:00 PM
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA
Washington Advocacy
Public Policy Boot Camp:
Becoming an Advocate for
Technology at the Federal,
State and Local Levels
5:30-8:30 PM A Night of Ed
Tech Advocates: CoSN's
2nd Annual Reception and
Silent Auction for Advocacy
Sponsored by Cox
Communications, Inc. Dell
Inc., HP, Juniper Networks,
Pearson Education,
Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
8:30-10:30 AM Public
Policy Update and Issue
Briefing
11:00 AM-2:00 PM
Congressional Meetings
on Capitol Hill
CoSN's 5th Annual
International Symposium
March 8 and 9, 2006 (full
agenda)
Eugene Black Auditorium
(B1 Level), World Bank
1914 G Street NW,
Washington, DC
Sponsored by IBM,
Goethe-Institut, and the
World Bank Institute
Media Partner: Technology
& Learning
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
1:00-1:20 PM
Welcome/Greetings/Setting
the Stage
1:20-2:10 PM Opening
Keynote Presentation:
Wikipedia, Open Standards
and K-12 Education
2:10-3:00 PM Keynote
Response and Q&A
3:00-3:20 PM Break
3:20-4:20 PM Session II:
Policy, Legal and Technical
Aspects of Open
Technologies
4:20-5:30 PM Small Group
Activity & Report Out -
Framing the Issues,
Problems and
Opportunities Around Open
Technologies
5:30-6:30 PM Reception
Thursday, March 9, 2006
8:00-8:30 AM Continental
Breakfast
8:30-10:00 AM Session III:
Profiles of Open
Technology in Education
10:00-10:15 AM Break
10:15 AM-12:00 PM
Synthesis Statement
Development
12:00-1:45 PM Luncheon
Keynote Presentation: "If
the World is 'Flat', What
Does that Mean for
Education?"
1:45-2:00 PM Concluding
Remarks and Adjournment
Washington Advocacy
Training and Events
March 7 and 8, 2006 (full
agenda)
Hyatt Regency Crystal City,
Arlington, VA
Sponsored by Cox
Communications, Inc. Dell
Inc., HP, Juniper Networks,
Pearson Education,
Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
3:00-4:00 PM
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA
Washington Advocacy
Public Policy Boot Camp:
Becoming an Advocate for
Technology at the Federal,
State and Local Levels
5:30-8:30 PM A Night of Ed
Tech Advocates: CoSN's
2nd Annual Reception and
Silent Auction for Advocacy
Sponsored by Cox
Communications, Inc. Dell
Inc., HP, Juniper Networks,
Pearson Education,
Riverdeep Inc. and Texas
Instruments, Inc.
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
8:30-10:30 AM Public
Policy Update and Issue
Briefing
11:00 AM-2:00 PM
Congressional Meetings
on Capitol Hill
CoSN's 5th Annual
International Symposium
March 8 and 9, 2006 (full
agenda)
Eugene Black Auditorium
(B1 Level), World Bank
1914 G Street NW,
Washington, DC
Sponsored by IBM,
Goethe-Institut, and the
World Bank Institute
Media Partner: Technology
& Learning
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
1:00-1:20 PM
Welcome/Greetings/Setting
the Stage
1:20-2:10 PM Opening
Keynote Presentation:
Wikipedia, Open Standards
and K-12 Education
2:10-3:00 PM Keynote
Response and Q&A
3:00-3:20 PM Break
3:20-4:20 PM Session II:
Policy, Legal and Technical
Aspects of Open
Technologies
4:20-5:30 PM Small Group
Activity & Report Out -
Framing the Issues,
Problems and
Opportunities Around Open
Technologies
5:30-6:30 PM Reception
Thursday, March 9, 2006
8:00-8:30 AM Continental
Breakfast
8:30-10:00 AM Session III:
Profiles of Open
Technology in Education
10:00-10:15 AM Break
10:15 AM-12:00 PM
Synthesis Statement
Development
12:00-1:45 PM Luncheon
Keynote Presentation: "If
the World is 'Flat', What
Does that Mean for
Education?"
1:45-2:00 PM Concluding
Remarks and Adjournment
CoSN's 11th Annual K-12 School
Networking Conference:
Measuring the VALUE of Education
Technology
March 6 and 7, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
The K-12 School Networking Conference is the premier
event for education leaders on technology and learning
through the Internet! The conference attracts over 800
district, state and national education technology leaders.
Enhance your career and learn from other leaders as we
define the future of the Internet and information
technologies in our nation's schools.
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Washington Advocacy
Training & Events
March 7 and 8, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Held in conjunction with the CoSN K-12 School Networking
Conference, the Washington Advocacy Event is an
opportunity for education technology leaders to tell the "ed-
tech" story to their Senators and Representatives and
explain how policies and programs determined in
Washington help improve teaching and learning at home.
The Washington Advocacy Event is a joint activity of CoSN,
the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE),
and the Software and Information Industry Association
(SIIA). Participants will learn how to effectively advocate
for education technology with legislators and be briefed on
the current education technology legislative agenda, as well
as how the current political environment may have an
impact. Following the briefing, participants will go to Capitol
Hill to meet with members of Congress and put the day's
lessons to use. Take part in Washington Advocacy Event
and ensure that your voice is heard on Capitol Hill!
CoSN’s 5th Annual International
Symposium
March 8 and 9, 2006
Eugene Black Auditorium (B1 Level), World Bank
1914 G Street NW, Washington, DC
The International Symposium brings together key education
and policy leaders from U.S. and other nations to examine
global responses to effective use of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) in education.
Networking Conference:
Measuring the VALUE of Education
Technology
March 6 and 7, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
The K-12 School Networking Conference is the premier
event for education leaders on technology and learning
through the Internet! The conference attracts over 800
district, state and national education technology leaders.
Enhance your career and learn from other leaders as we
define the future of the Internet and information
technologies in our nation's schools.
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Washington Advocacy
Training & Events
March 7 and 8, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Held in conjunction with the CoSN K-12 School Networking
Conference, the Washington Advocacy Event is an
opportunity for education technology leaders to tell the "ed-
tech" story to their Senators and Representatives and
explain how policies and programs determined in
Washington help improve teaching and learning at home.
The Washington Advocacy Event is a joint activity of CoSN,
the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE),
and the Software and Information Industry Association
(SIIA). Participants will learn how to effectively advocate
for education technology with legislators and be briefed on
the current education technology legislative agenda, as well
as how the current political environment may have an
impact. Following the briefing, participants will go to Capitol
Hill to meet with members of Congress and put the day's
lessons to use. Take part in Washington Advocacy Event
and ensure that your voice is heard on Capitol Hill!
CoSN’s 5th Annual International
Symposium
March 8 and 9, 2006
Eugene Black Auditorium (B1 Level), World Bank
1914 G Street NW, Washington, DC
The International Symposium brings together key education
and policy leaders from U.S. and other nations to examine
global responses to effective use of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) in education.
| Hard at work at the Hyatt? |
A Night of Empowering Ed Tech
Advocates: CoSN's 2nd Annual Advocacy
Reception and Silent Auction
March 7, 2006, 5:30-8:30 PM
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Do you want to have FUN?
Do you want to MAKE a DIFFERENCE?
How about the opportunity to do BOTH at the SAME
TIME?
We had such a great time last year, we're doing it
again! CoSN will host A Night of Empowering Ed
Tech Advocates: our 2nd Annual Reception and Silent
Auction for Advocacy on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at the
Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA from
5:30-8:30 PM.
Advocacy is central to CoSN's mission. CoSN is a
recognized leader in supporting the E-Rate and
EETT, increasing funding for education technology
and making sure that education technology has a
voice in Washington. But we need your help to
continue this important work! By participating in this
fundraiser, you will be supporting the annual
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Advocacy Training and the Ed Tech
Action Network (ETAN), both of which are critical
efforts for our community.
Donate an item for the silent auction.
The deadline for submitting completed donation
forms has been extended to February 8, 2006. Please
download a copy of the donation form (PDF) for
additional instructions and a list of donation
suggestions.
Items donated so far include:
iPods
iPod nanos
Xbox games
HP iPAC pocket PC
AlphaSmart Dana
InFocus Big X1a Projector
Palm Tungsten E
Educational Software
2 Telescopes (one land, one sky)
DC Capitals hockey tickets and a signed Alex
Overchkin stick
Signed Joe Paterno football
Tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game
Theater memorabilia, including an Odd Couple
placard signed by the cast of the current Broadway
revival
Tickets to the October 2006 Bridge School concert in
San Francisco
Original artwork and handmade jewelry
Stays in vacation properties
A San Diego Bar Crawl for use at NECC [the
National Education Computing Conference, July 5-7,
2006--NECC claims to feature "the Largest Ed Tech
Exhibit"]
Boat Trip in Annapolis for you and 24 of your closest
friends
Gourmet dinner for 4 by a renowned Cajun Chef
A copy of Our Endangered Values: America's Moral
Ccrisis, signed by Former President Jimmy Carter
Grift Certificates
Consulting Services
Subscriptions
and MANY themed gift baskets
Finally, remember that the event is at the end of this
year's conference, rather than the night before it
starts, and because we're holding it in the
conference hotel, attendance is FREE to everyone.
Catch up with old friends over drinks and hors
d'oeuvres...bid on silent auction items...join the
exciting live auction...plus other surprises. This event
is a great time for an even better cause. You don't
want to miss it!
Advocates: CoSN's 2nd Annual Advocacy
Reception and Silent Auction
March 7, 2006, 5:30-8:30 PM
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Do you want to have FUN?
Do you want to MAKE a DIFFERENCE?
How about the opportunity to do BOTH at the SAME
TIME?
We had such a great time last year, we're doing it
again! CoSN will host A Night of Empowering Ed
Tech Advocates: our 2nd Annual Reception and Silent
Auction for Advocacy on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at the
Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA from
5:30-8:30 PM.
Advocacy is central to CoSN's mission. CoSN is a
recognized leader in supporting the E-Rate and
EETT, increasing funding for education technology
and making sure that education technology has a
voice in Washington. But we need your help to
continue this important work! By participating in this
fundraiser, you will be supporting the annual
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Advocacy Training and the Ed Tech
Action Network (ETAN), both of which are critical
efforts for our community.
Donate an item for the silent auction.
The deadline for submitting completed donation
forms has been extended to February 8, 2006. Please
download a copy of the donation form (PDF) for
additional instructions and a list of donation
suggestions.
Items donated so far include:
iPods
iPod nanos
Xbox games
HP iPAC pocket PC
AlphaSmart Dana
InFocus Big X1a Projector
Palm Tungsten E
Educational Software
2 Telescopes (one land, one sky)
DC Capitals hockey tickets and a signed Alex
Overchkin stick
Signed Joe Paterno football
Tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game
Theater memorabilia, including an Odd Couple
placard signed by the cast of the current Broadway
revival
Tickets to the October 2006 Bridge School concert in
San Francisco
Original artwork and handmade jewelry
Stays in vacation properties
A San Diego Bar Crawl for use at NECC [the
National Education Computing Conference, July 5-7,
2006--NECC claims to feature "the Largest Ed Tech
Exhibit"]
Boat Trip in Annapolis for you and 24 of your closest
friends
Gourmet dinner for 4 by a renowned Cajun Chef
A copy of Our Endangered Values: America's Moral
Ccrisis, signed by Former President Jimmy Carter
Grift Certificates
Consulting Services
Subscriptions
and MANY themed gift baskets
Finally, remember that the event is at the end of this
year's conference, rather than the night before it
starts, and because we're holding it in the
conference hotel, attendance is FREE to everyone.
Catch up with old friends over drinks and hors
d'oeuvres...bid on silent auction items...join the
exciting live auction...plus other surprises. This event
is a great time for an even better cause. You don't
want to miss it!
CoSN/ISTE/SIIA Washington Advocacy
Training and Events
March 7 and 8, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Overview
Advocacy is central to CoSN's work on behalf of school
districts and ed tech corporations. CoSN is a
recognized leader in supporting legislation and
advocating for funding to support the integration of
technology into education. Two programs form the
backbone of this work:
CoSN, the International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) and the Software & Information
Industry Association (SIIA) organize highly regarded
sdvocacy training. The Washington Advocacy training
includes a Boot Camp and Issues Training sessions,
followed by meetings with Members of Congress on
Capitol Hill. Advocacy training promotes and
strengthens support for education technology programs
and funding. Over 150 educators participated in the
2005 Advocacy Day training.
In the spring of 2004, CoSN and ISTE joined forces to
launch the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) to expand
advocacy efforts beyond the annual lobbying day. ETAN
provides a mechanism to inform policymakers in
Washington and state capitals of the importance of
education technology in fulfilling the mandates of No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) and of the necessity of
providing funds for ed tech programs. ETAN is
designed to provide educators with the tools and
training necessary to be powerful advocates for
improved technology learning and teaching at the local,
state, and federal levels.
Additonally, in support of CoSN's advocacy efforts and to
raise awareness of the necessity of funding for
technology in our nation's schools, CoSN will host A
Night of Empowering Ed Tech Advocates: CoSN's 2nd
Annual Reception and Silent Auction for Advocacy
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal
City in Arlington, VA from 5:30-8:30 PM.
We hope that you will take advantage of these excellent
opportunities to make your voice heard on Capitol Hill
by participating in these critical efforts. Come help
CoSN, ISTE and SIIA preserve the federal programs that
are vital to the future of education technology.
Training and Events
March 7 and 8, 2006
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA
Overview
Advocacy is central to CoSN's work on behalf of school
districts and ed tech corporations. CoSN is a
recognized leader in supporting legislation and
advocating for funding to support the integration of
technology into education. Two programs form the
backbone of this work:
CoSN, the International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) and the Software & Information
Industry Association (SIIA) organize highly regarded
sdvocacy training. The Washington Advocacy training
includes a Boot Camp and Issues Training sessions,
followed by meetings with Members of Congress on
Capitol Hill. Advocacy training promotes and
strengthens support for education technology programs
and funding. Over 150 educators participated in the
2005 Advocacy Day training.
In the spring of 2004, CoSN and ISTE joined forces to
launch the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) to expand
advocacy efforts beyond the annual lobbying day. ETAN
provides a mechanism to inform policymakers in
Washington and state capitals of the importance of
education technology in fulfilling the mandates of No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) and of the necessity of
providing funds for ed tech programs. ETAN is
designed to provide educators with the tools and
training necessary to be powerful advocates for
improved technology learning and teaching at the local,
state, and federal levels.
Additonally, in support of CoSN's advocacy efforts and to
raise awareness of the necessity of funding for
technology in our nation's schools, CoSN will host A
Night of Empowering Ed Tech Advocates: CoSN's 2nd
Annual Reception and Silent Auction for Advocacy
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal
City in Arlington, VA from 5:30-8:30 PM.
We hope that you will take advantage of these excellent
opportunities to make your voice heard on Capitol Hill
by participating in these critical efforts. Come help
CoSN, ISTE and SIIA preserve the federal programs that
are vital to the future of education technology.
How we take back our children's education: one person, one question, one school at a time. |
P E Y T O N W O L C O T T |
WHAT'S WRONG ___ WHO'S RESPONSIBLE Education, Inc. & the big pot o'money Administrators on the Move, Educators in the News (Aa-Ald) (Ale-Alp) (AlQ-Anc) (And-Arz) (As-Az) Featured educator Where are they now? Lax oversight The media WHAT YOU CAN DO Accountability Practical how-to's Success stories, Kindred spirits What to expect ___ Commentary/Home About Contact |
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| I n p r o g r e s s |
| ATTENTION EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS: Every attempt possible has been made to verify all sources and information. In the event you feel an error has been made, please contact us immediately. Thank you. |
| Copyright 1999-2006 Peyton Wolcott |
| POP QUIZ: Does your supe insist that--despite facts to the contrary-- everything in your local schools is "Great, great, great!" even when presented with facts to the contrary? |
David v. Goliath: How America's Moms & Dads are taking on Education, Inc. PEYTON WOLCOTT |
| H e l p i n g A m e r i c a ' s M o m s & D a d s , s t u d e n t s a n d t a x p a y e r s |
"I think we absolutely have to realize that if we were to educate everyone, the country would fall apart. . . . We absolutely positively have to have a group of undereducated, unskilled people to do all these dirty jobs that `the comfortable classes,' as John Kenneth Galbraith calls them, will not do." "...until everyone owns a humanoid robot, as well as a car and a color television, some person will have to do the `dirty jobs.' Until then, however, loath as we are to admit it, we must continue to produce an uneducated social class..." --Gerald Bracey, Stanford-educated research psychologist, policy analyst, author and former NEA-analyst |
"Someone really is after us... (the NEA and its affiliates) have been singled out because of our political power and effectiveness at all levels -- because we have the ability to help implement the type of liberal social and economic agenda that (they) find unacceptable." --Robert H. Chanin, National Education Association general counsel |
The National Education Association is under fire for its advice to teachers on how to spend the anniversary of September 11. The critics say that the NEA's lesson plans are too relativistic and insufficiently patriotic. Students would hear a lot about 'intolerance': the need to avoid it, America's shameful history... The critics would like students to learn more about America's virtues and about our enemies' deadly intolerance. ...What the critics have uncovered, in other words, is not the NEA's lack of patriotism. It is modern liberal culture's shallowness. September 11 cannot be understood.... History is consulted only to the extent that it teaches us that people in previous eras have had feelings of grief and anger after disasters, too, and that these feelings have been expressed in more and less healthy ways. The history of the Middle East is not mentioned anywhere. Islam is a source of 'diversity,' and the only thing students need know about Muslims is that they are not all alike.... Tolerance, diversity, and psychological well-being are all fine things if they are rightly understood. But a country needs other things to defend itself: things like courage, confidence, endurance, manliness, intelligence. Neither our school curricula nor our public culture is designed to cultivate those qualities. We need better lessons, and not from the NEA. |