K12net

<BODY ALINK="#99CC66" BGCOLOR="#CCCCCC" LINK="#993300" TEXT="#000000" VLINK="#993300"> <TABLE BORDER=0> <TR VALIGN="top"> <TD BGCOLOR="#000000" WIDTH=176> <A HREF="./index.htm"><IMG ALT="home" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=120 SRC="./toc/images/globe.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./govnet.htp"><IMG ALT="GOVnet" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/govnet_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./k12net.htp"><IMG ALT="K12net" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/-k12net_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./infrastructure.htp"><IMG ALT="Infrastructure" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/infrastructure_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./contacts.htp"><IMG ALT="Contacts" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/contacts_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./resources.htp"><IMG ALT="Resources" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/resources_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> </TD> <TD> <H1>K12net</H1> <I>A Network Serving Libraries and K-12 Education in Vermont</I> <HR> <P>K12net is an extension of <A HREF="./govnet.htp">GOVnet</A> designed to provide network access to K-12 schools in Vermont. Through K12net, the state is able to provide the "infrastructure" or highway which interconnects all schools and libraries in Vermont. Internet access is also available through K12net.</P> <P>Of the more than 400 public and independent <ACRONYM TITLE="kindergarden">K</ACRONYM>-12 schools in Vermont, nearly 300 are currently connected to K12net. Of these, approximately one quarter utilize dedicated connections, and the remainder access the network through one or more dial-in connections. More than 10,000 students, teachers and administrators use K12net email. And of the many Vermont schools with sites on the world-wide web, more than 75 are hosted by K12net on the State web server. K12net also provides network access to more than 100 public libraries in Vermont.</P> <A NAME="origin"><H2>Origin</H2></A> <P><A HREF="http://www.state.vt.us/governor/index.htm">Governor Howard Dean</A>, a strong proponent of distance learning, requested funding from the 1995 legislature to expand the state's network, called GOVnet, so that every K-12 school throughout the state, whether in a rural community or in one of Vermont's larger cities, would have equal opportunity for network connectivity and for access to the Internet. The funding for the equipment necessary to expand the network was granted and, by the fall of 1995, schools began to apply for network connections.</P> <A NAME="services"><H2>Connections</H2></A> <P>K12net offers schools a choice of a dedicated or a dial-in connection.</P> <P>A switched 56 <ACRONYM TITLE="kilobits per second">Kbps</ACRONYM>, 384 <ACRONYM TITLE="kilobits per second">Kbps</ACRONYM> or 1.54 <ACRONYM TITLE="megabits per second">Mbps</ACRONYM> frame-relay connection is available for schools that require simultaneous network access by many computers. Schools that have local area networks installed may be interested in this type of access. Point-to-point 56 <ACRONYM TITLE="kilobits per second">Kbps</ACRONYM> and 1.54 <ACRONYM TITLE="megabits per second">Mbps</ACRONYM> (T-1) connections are also available.</P> <P>As a less expensive alternative, any school in the State of Vermont can elect to have dial-in access to K12net with a local telephone call. Speeds of up to 28.8 <ACRONYM TITLE="kilobits per second">Kbps</ACRONYM> are supported. <EM>(Please note that the speed at which your modem will actually operate depends on many factors including the condition of the telephone wiring in your area.)</EM></P> <P>For more information about the K12net service options, please read on. To order K12net service for your school, please refer to the <A HREF="./k12net_ordering.htp">ordering instructions</A>.</P> <P>GOVnet also hosts K12net school websites. For information about setting up a website on a GOVnet server, contact <A href="http://www.state.vt.us/contact.shtml">webmaster</A>.</P> <A NAME="dedicated"><H3>Dedicated Connections</H3></A> <P>K12net will offer frame-relay service to the K12 community and public libraries on or about July 1, 1998, pending contract approval by the Public Service Board. Rates will be as follows (no other fees or usage charges are assessed): <TABLE> <TR ALIGN="right"><TD>56 Kb</TD><TD>-</TD><TD>$4,300 per year</TD></TR> <TR ALIGN="right"><TD>384 Kb</TD><TD>-</TD><TD>$11,000 per year</TD></TR> <TR ALIGN="right"><TD>1.54 Mb</TD><TD>-</TD><TD>$14,400 per year</TD></TR> </TABLE> </P> <P>Point-to-point connection rates are as follows (no other fees or usage charges are assessed): <TABLE> <TR ALIGN="right"><TD>56 Kb</TD><TD>-</TD><TD>$5,000 per year</TD></TR> <TR ALIGN="right"><TD>1.54 Mb</TD><TD>-</TD><TD>$18,000 per year</TD></TR> </TABLE> </P> <P>Dedicated K12net service includes: <UL> <LI>use of state-owned IP addresses</LI> <LI>use of state-owned and -maintained <ACRONYM TITLE="frame-relay access device">FRAD</ACRONYM> or router</LI> <LI>frame-relay or point-to-point circuit</LI> <LI>Internet service</LI> <LI>e-mail accounts for students, faculty, and staff</LI> <LI>use of dial-up facilities by faculty and staff for work related usage</LI> </UL> <BLOCKQUOTE><EM>Dial-in access from outside the school is provided to teachers on an "as-available" basis and may be used for educational purposes only. Students' use of dial-in access for educational purposes, also on an "as-available" basis, is a local decision. Under no circumstances may a teacher or student share dial-in access privileges with others, including family members.</EM></BLOCKQUOTE> </P> <P>See <A HREF="#e-rate" TARGET="_self">below</A> for <ACRONYM TITLE="federal communications commission">FCC</ACRONYM> e-rate discount information on this service.</P> <A NAME="dial-in"><H3>Dial-In Connections</H3></A> <P>Dial-In K12net service includes: <UL> <LI>dial-in modem banks with a local phone call from any school or library in the state of Vermont;</LI> <LI>Internet software tools, including the Netscape <ACRONYM TITLE="world-wide web">WWW</ACRONYM> browser, the Eudora mail software and dial-in access software (both Mac and PC-compatible versions are included);</LI> <LI>name service, <ACRONYM TITLE="post office protocol">POP</ACRONYM> mail service for up to 25 email accounts and newsfeeds. </UL> </P> <BLOCKQUOTE><EM>Each school is permitted to have only one user dialed in at any given time. (Simultaneous use of a school's dial-in accounts by more than one user is not permitted.)</EM></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Dial-In K12net connections are priced at a flat fee of $250 per fiscal year. No other fees or usage charges are assessed.</P> <P>See <A HREF="#e-rate" TARGET="_self">below</A> for <ACRONYM TITLE="federal communications commission">FCC</ACRONYM> e-rate discount information on this service.</P> <H3>Billing and Payment</H3> <P>The billing process occurs on an annual basis for the July 1 - June 30 year.</P> <P>Dedicated Connections - Renewals for dedicated connections are due no later than July 1, accompanied by a purchase order. Purchase orders will be followed by an invoice which will be due August 31.</P> <P>Dial-up Accounts - Invoices for dial-up accounts will be mailed in early August; payment due September 15th.</P> <P>New Orders will be accepted at any time, accompanied by a purchase order. Invoices will be sent after cutover and will be prorated for the fiscal year. Minimum service period for new dedicated connections is two years. Service upgrades during that period are possible if the upgrade is within the same service type. For example, a 384 Kb frame relay customer could upgrade to 1.54 Mb frame relay service; a point-to-point 56 Kb customer can not, however, change to frame relay service during the initial 12 month period.</P> <A NAME="e-rate"><H3>E-RATE Information for K12net Services</H3></A> <PRE> The State has received notification that it is eligible for reimbursement in the amount of $283,000 on behalf of the schools that used K12net as of the date that the State submitted its e-rate application. The 486 form and the BEAR forms were submitted per instructions by January 31, 1999. As many of you know from your own applications, approved amounts were prorated for an additional six-month period to extend the e-rate year to June 30, 1999. We have no way of knowing when we will actually see "the cash", but we have been told the process is as follows: For the 12-month period from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998, we will receive a check from each of the vendors for each of the eligible services (this means a total of seven checks). For the period January 1, 1999 to June 30, 1999, credits will be applied quarterly to our bill: credits for the first quarter will be applied to the April bill and credits for the second quarter will be applied to the July bill. IF THE SITUATION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE UNFOLDS IN THE DESCRIBED MANNER, THE STATE WILL DO THE FOLLOWING: When payments have been received for the 12-month "cash" period, the State must break down the total and prorate it back to the schools based on discount rates. (If your discount rate was 60%, this does not mean that you will be refunded 60% of what you paid the state, because not all of the expenses that compose the K12 net fee were eligible for reimbursement. There will be a clear statement at the time of payout of the expenses that were approved by the SLC.) We will then send out a form that requests your federal id number (required by law) and the payee name and address to which the check should be sent. As these are returned, we will process a transaction to cut a check. The quarterly "credits" are more complicated to process. The State is a very large account with Bell Atlantic and the bills on which the credits will appear generally run at least two months in arrears. This means that we will receive all the credits from the first quarter in May and the credits from the second quarter in August. As those credits are issued, we will issue refund checks. The whole process with the SLC is running in "arears" and, therefore, we will NOT be able to issue credits to current or future K12net bills. Instead, we must issue a repayment in the form of a check against the same year that we received the K12net fees and incurred the costs of providing the service. The SPIN number for Vermont K12NET is 143016982. If you are using the search facility on the SLC web site to look up the spin number, it is listed as: Vermont K12NET. Please note the "V" in Vermont is capitalized and all the letters in K12NET are capitalized. If you have questions regarding this information, please send e-mail to info@govnet.state.vt.us. Thank you. </PRE> <HR> <P STYLE="text-align:center"><SMALL><A HREF="./k12net_ordering.htp">Ordering Instructions</A></SMALL></P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </BODY>