RUBEN LOPEZ
    Chief Technology Officer
     
    FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
     
    STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
      
    F. PHILIP HANDY,
    Chairman
     
     
    Members
    SALLY BRADSHAW
     
    LINDA J. EADS, ED. D.
     
    T. WILLARD FAIR
     
    CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
     
    JULIA L. JOHNSON
     
    WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
      
     
    JIM HORNE
    Commissioner of Education
     
     
     
    January 13, 2003
     
    MEMORANDUM
     
    TO:
     
    District Superintendents
     
      
    FROM:
    Ruben Lopez
     
    RE:
    Changes to the Florida Information Resource Network (FIRN)
     
     
    For the past 18 years, the Florida Information Resource Network, better known
    as FIRN, has provided Internet access, content filtering and other data services to
    all Florida schools. The use of the Internet as an educational tool has increased
    tremendously over the last three years, severely challenging FIRN's capacity to
    meet the needs of Florida’s educators, students, administrators and parents
    without significant growth. Additional funding necessary for such growth has
    not been available, causing the Office of Technology and Information Services’
    staff to explore other solutions.
     
    The greatest opportunity for improved Internet service to educational institutions
    is through the outsourcing of FIRN management. With this approach, increased
    funding can be realized for services through E-Rate, potentially increasing
    available bandwidth to schools by 300 percent, eliminating extensive system
    down-time, and allowing new services to be added as needed.
     
    In order to realize these benefits in Florida, we must
    •
    •
    •
    Privatize the management of FIRN,
    Increase funding through E-Rate, and
    Limit dial-up access to only those areas in the state that have no local service
    provider.
     
    We are excited about this new direction for FIRN, and about what it will mean
    for education in Florida.
     
    Several presentations about the new services will be delivered at the Florida
    Educational Technology Conference, February 4-6, 2003. District technology
    staff will be briefed on changes and how your district will be affected.
     
    Please do not hesitate to contact me at 850-921-9334 if you have further
    questions.
     
    Cc: Commissioner Jim Horne
    325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 1101 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 921-9334 • www.fldoe.org
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
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