1. The Commission shall establish a plan for the use of educational technology in the public schools of this State. In preparing the plan, the Commission shall consider:

(a) Plans that have been adopted by the Department and the school districts and charter schools in this State;

(b) Plans that have been adopted in other states;

(c) The information reported pursuant to NRS 385A.310 and similar information included in the annual report of accountability information prepared by the State Public Charter School Authority and a college or university within the Nevada System of Higher Education that sponsors a charter school pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 385A.070;

(d) The results of the assessment of needs conducted pursuant to subsection 6; and

(e) Any other information that the Commission or the Committee deems relevant to the preparation of the plan.

2. The plan established by the Commission must include recommendations for methods to:

(a) Incorporate educational technology into the public schools of this State;

(b) Increase the number of pupils in the public schools of this State who have access to educational technology;

(c) Increase the availability of educational technology to assist licensed teachers and other educational personnel in complying with the requirements of continuing education, including, without limitation, the receipt of credit for college courses completed through the use of educational technology;

(d) Facilitate the exchange of ideas to improve the achievement of pupils who are enrolled in the public schools of this State; and

(e) Address the needs of teachers in incorporating the use of educational technology in the classroom, including, without limitation, the completion of training that is sufficient to enable the teachers to instruct pupils in the use of educational technology.

3. The Department shall provide:

(a) Administrative support;

(b) Equipment; and

(c) Office space,

as is necessary for the Commission to carry out the provisions of this section.

4. The following entities shall cooperate with the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this section:

(a) The State Board.

(b) The board of trustees of each school district.

(c) The superintendent of schools of each school district.

(d) The Department.

5. The Commission shall:

(a) Develop technical standards for educational technology and any electrical or structural appurtenances necessary thereto, including, without limitation, uniform specifications for computer hardware and wiring, to ensure that such technology is compatible, uniform and can be interconnected throughout the public schools of this State.

(b) Allocate money to the school districts from the Trust Fund for Educational Technology created pursuant to NRS 388.800 and any money appropriated by the Legislature for educational technology, subject to any priorities for such allocation established by the Legislature.

(c) Establish criteria for the board of trustees of a school district that receives an allocation of money from the Commission to:

(1) Repair, replace and maintain computer systems.

(2) Upgrade and improve computer hardware and software and other educational technology.

(3) Provide training, installation and technical support related to the use of educational technology within the district.

(d) Submit to the Governor, the Committee and the Department its plan for the use of educational technology in the public schools of this State and any recommendations for legislation.

(e) Review the plan annually and make revisions as it deems necessary or as directed by the Committee or the Department.

(f) In addition to the recommendations set forth in the plan pursuant to subsection 2, make further recommendations to the Committee and the Department as the Commission deems necessary.

6. During the spring semester of each even-numbered school year, the Commission shall conduct an assessment of the needs of each school district relating to educational technology. In conducting the assessment, the Commission shall consider:

(a) The recommendations set forth in the plan pursuant to subsection 2;

(b) The plan for educational technology of each school district, if applicable;

(c) Evaluations of educational technology conducted for the State or for a school district, if applicable; and

(d) Any other information deemed relevant by the Commission.

The Commission shall submit a final written report of the assessment to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on or before April 1 of each even-numbered year.

7. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall prepare a written compilation of the results of the assessment conducted by the Commission and transmit the written compilation on or before June 1 of each even-numbered year to the Legislative Committee on Education and to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmission to the next regular session of the Legislature.

8. The Commission may appoint an advisory committee composed of members of the Commission or other qualified persons to provide recommendations to the Commission regarding standards for the establishment, coordination and use of a telecommunications network in the public schools throughout the various school districts in this State. The advisory committee serves at the pleasure of the Commission and without compensation unless an appropriation or other money for that purpose is provided by the Legislature.

9. As used in this section, “public school” includes the Caliente Youth Center, the Nevada Youth Training Center and any other state facility for the detention of children that is operated pursuant to title 5 of NRS.

(Added to NRS by 1997, 1771; A 1999, 1199; 2003, 1139; 2003, 19th Special Session, 50; 2005, 1177; 2007, 1961; 2011, 2281, 2375; 2015, 3305, 3809; 2019, 2006, 2062)