Committee: Joint Appropriations
Technology & Wiring of the Schools
The following LRC fiscal analysts staffed the meeting: Mr. Dale Bertsch, Mr. David Becker, Ms.
Annie Mertz, Mr. Bill Pike, and Mr. Mark Zickrick.
Governor Bill Janklow began by explaining that at the end of Fiscal Year 96 there were a couple
million dollars in excess funds, which he allocated to the wiring of the schools project. Governor
Janklow said that the allocation was legal, but Legislators had problems with it. Governor Janklow
informed the committee that the next year the Department of Education & Cultural Affairs asked for
a couple million dollars & the one-time State Aid to Education money available at the end of
DECA's fiscal year. Governor Janklow went on to explain how the idea for using inmates for the
wiring come about. Ray Christiansen was given a contract for overlooking the wiring project.
Governor Janklow said that South Dakota is the only state which is using it's inmates for wiring and
there are currently 12 inmate crews wiring.
Governor Janklow explained that the wiring was the first step, now we must teach the teachers to put the technology available to enhance the learning process. Governor Janklow said that GOALS 2000 is very controversial. Every year funding is treated as one time money and the Governor allocated 100% of GOALS 2000 funds for the Technology for Teaching and Learning academy. Governor Janklow informed the committee that currently there are approximately 900 teachers that
have attended the 200 hour academy during the last two summers and at the end of the summer of
1999 there will be around 2,000 trained. There are $2.1 million in Technology & Literacy funds and
$1.6 million in GOALS 2000 to fund the training.
Governor Janklow explained that he met with the Deans of Education from all of the universities
offering educational baccalaureate degrees and explained to them the problem of sending new
educators out into the schools without receiving the technology. The Governor conveyed that he sat
down with 50 education methods professors (plus 5 who were unable to be eliminated due to their
qualifications), who were paid for their time from the Future Fund ( $1 ½ million), to study and
make preparation for technology to be taught in their methodology courses. There was a stipulation
that these professors must teach at a South Dakota university for at least 2 years or the entitlee would
be required to pay back the funds spent on their training. The Governor said that by this May every
education graduate will be functionally literate to use technology within their future classroom.
The Governor also explained that during this fiscal year he took one-time money for a “smart
classroom” at each of the state's universities. He met with the Board of Regents and reviewed their
budget request of $18 million for technology and they were able to realize that using the inmate
wiring crews would save a tremendous amount of money, but they would still be $2 million short,
so the Governor gave them a grant of $2 million.
Governor Janklow pointed out that all states are envious of the technology in South Dakota. The
state has 3 computer drops for every 4 students. The Governor reviewed with the committee the
different types of cable used in the wiring process and their technological enhancing capabilities.
Governor Janklow stated that 50% of all of the inmates that have worked on the wiring crews are
now employed in the wiring industry and stressed his positive opinion on work-related rehabilitation.
The Governor has made a decision to make technology easily accessed for the better of all people
in the state and therefore is planning on wiring all of the public libraries, private parochial schools,
university classrooms & dormitories, the Yankton Sioux Tribal Offices, and all hospitals with the
exception of the top five. The Governor then discussed telecommunications and the T1 and ATM
circuits.
This summer on the campus of the University of South Dakota, there will be a TTL for
superintendents. Governor Janklow said that the course time is pending, but they are expecting 100
participating superintendents. The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology will also be
hosting a network administration course in which every school district will have one representative.
The Governor said that these attendees will be sent home with a network server, so that all districts
will have a common computer system. Governor Janklow said that the network course and
technology will cost $8,976,126 which includes the network server for $8,000 each and other
expenditures such as hardware, routers, modems, etc...
Governor Janklow explained that the next step is to go to interactive video. Interactive video is a fabulous informational tool which would allow for the State of South Dakota's youth to compete with other resources that would ordinarily not be made available for them. By December 31, 1999, the Governor said that 90% of all new jobs created in America require a fundamental understanding
of technology and interactive video holds the potential infrastructure for all citizens of the State of
South Dakota to explode above all.
After interactive video is in place the Governor said that there are banks and other community
businesses that would be willing to put up funds for a world class infrastructure which would launch
interactive video for the future. Any community can have the option if they are able to do it on
private funds. The Governor said that this world class infrastructure could allow them to learn 5 or
6 languages and the abilities for such would be limitless. This infrastructure could also help those
communities with little resources available. The Governor stated that there is no definitive dollar
amount given for such infrastructure.
At Representative Richter's request the Governor then discussed the excess ADM and how it's
funding relates to wiring/technology. In the discussion he explained that the money can be cut off
at any time, but there will never be this opportunity again. The Governor explained that the ADM
estimates are very conservative every year and reviewed what took place when the state went broke
in 1981 and he had to cut the budget 2% across the board. Governor Janklow reminded the
committee that we are creating a budget in advance and therefore we cannot predict corn or cattle
prices, interest rates, etc. in order to be exact. There is 5% of the budget in reserve funds for the state
and school districts keep 36% of their budget in reserves. Governor Janklow said that the ADM is
the same in that we cannot predict dropouts, the number of students who will attend private schools,
or those who will be home schooled.
Senator Frederick asked the Governor if technology is a means to an end for the Bureau of Revenue
cooperating with K-12 and he said that we are building for a matter of convenience and he does not
care where our people have to go to become equipped, just as long as they are getting the technology
infrastructure.
Senator Duxbury requested that the Governor review with the committee the expenditures for private
wiring and so therefore the Governor explained that private facilities are to pay for the materials,
meals, night supervision, & sleeping facilities and the cost of labor is payed by the state. Senator
Duxbury followed up by asked the Governor to review the TTL academy and the Governor did so
while informing the committee of the two times that the participants come back together as a group
to debrief, assess, and share the impact that TTL has made on the students.
At the request of Representative Richter, the Governor discussed the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs' Youth-at-Risk fund that has reached $6 ½ million and keeps expanding. In the discussion the Governor explained that every year the state gets money from the Federal Government and under Federal Law the state must spend 85% of this money at the state level. Governor Janklow explained that the need for additional prison system facilities (maximum & medium security). Representative Richter asked if the bill for mandatory stay for drug offenders would affect the need and Governor Janklow said that the state will need no money for operating and he feels that the legislators should be looking at if they are happy with the drug situation in our state or not when voting. The Governor stated that in 1995 there were 5,500 drug arrests and last year there were 9,400 which is a four year increase of 77%. Governor Janklow then stressed his opinion on the first offense walk throughs and records while comparing the offense with a DWI offense.
Governer Janklow said that we will make the program fit within the budget and would like for us,
as a state, to at least try the program for a year.
Representative Sutton then requested that the Governor discuss the mentoring program with the
committee and he said that the program started with Federal funding with the National Guard and
there were few members hired to recruit mentors. Governor Janklow said that failure in aftercare
is a tough challenge. He explained that 50% of the youth while in a correctional facility a minimum
of 7 months receive no phone calls and sending these youth home is a problem due to their adult role
models. Governor Janklow said that the National Guard is having a hard time finding volunteer
mentors to meet the needs of the many youth in need of aftercare.
MOTION:
ADJOURN
Moved by:
Representative Wudel
Second by:
Senator Benson
Action:
Prevailed by voice vote.
Leanne Schlekeway