Governor Bush, Governor Wise to Present at First Technology Task Force Meeting

Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida from 1999-2007, and Bob Wise, Governor of West Virginia from 2001-2005, will present at the first Students Come First Technology Task Force meeting, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today.

“I am excited to begin the important work of the Technology Task Force next week, and we are pleased former Governors Bush and Wise can help kick off the first meeting,” Superintendent Luna said.  “Both of these Governors showed great leadership in improving their state’s public education systems in many ways, including the expansion of advanced technology and virtual learning.  As the task force works to reform every Idaho classroom into a 21st Century Classroom, I hope we can learn from the experience of Florida, West Virginia and other states and districts across the country.”

Governor Bush and Governor Wise jointly lead the bipartisan Digital Learning Now!  This initiative advances policies to integrate current and future technological innovations into education to provide all students with a customized, quality education experience.

Under Senate Bill 1184, Superintendent Luna is chairing the 39-member task force as it works to successfully implement the technology components of Idaho’s education reform laws, known as Students Come First.  Specifically, the legislation calls on the task force to study and develop plans for the one-to-one ratio of mobile computing devices in high schools. Once the State Board of Education determines the number of online courses for a graduation requirement, the task force also will develop implementation plans for the requirement, in addition to the necessary professional development for teachers and other topics determined by the task force chairman.

The first task force meeting will be held June 13-14, 2011 in the Senate Auditorium at the Idaho Statehouse.
Governor Bush and Governor Wise will present at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14.  The meeting will be open to the public and streamed live online via Idaho Public Television’s Legislature Live.  

The first meeting will include presentations from other experts in education and technology at national, state, and local levels including Jeff Coe and Jeremy Davidson from Schoolnet; Dr. Lisa Dawley and Chris Haskell with Boise State University; and Dan Thomander from Cassia Alternative High School.

See the full agenda of the first Students Come First Technology Task Force meeting and learn more about the task force online.