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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A new audit shows slightly more than half of the schools surveyed aren't using the equipment purchased through Idaho's pricey broadband contract and nearly 6 percent of the videoconferencing equipment can't be located.
Legislative auditors told budget writers Thursday that use of the Idaho Education Network, a program that provides broadband access to Idaho public schools, has declined since it first began in 2012.
"They're not utilizing these assets as much as we'd probably like them to," Legislative Services Office manager April Renfro said. "Overall, 47 percent is not a very high utilization rate."
State Republican Sen. Dean Cameron, co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, said the report raises concerns as the committee considers funding the program for another year.
A district court voided the $60 million broadband contract in November after finding the state violated its own procurement laws. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has urged state officials to rebid the contract as well as propose spending $7.2 million next year to keep the program afloat for 12 more months. However, the future of the network is unknown.
"One of the silver linings of this storm is that we get to re-evaluate the system," Cameron said. "We have this opportunity and I'm hopeful the Legislature and the executive branch won't squander this opportunity. We have this opportunity to redefine this."
Cameron pointed out that while the network offers dual-credit courses, he said in his own legislative district some schools offer softer courses such as music appreciation or the history of rock 'n' roll.
"I appreciate music, but I'm not sure if that's the purpose that we intended when we agreed to spend millions of dollars," he said.
Of the students surveyed, less than 2 percent with broadband access used classes provided by the network in the spring of 2014. That's a slight drop from the 2.2 percent of high school students in 2012 enrolled in the network's classes.
Former GOP Sen. John Goedde of Coeur d'Alene, who was a champion of implanting the network, said that even though not all districts use the equipment the same, the service is vital in some rural school districts.
Otter has hired Goedde to find a solution to network issue during this legislative session.
He added that in eastern Idaho, a group of four districts use the network to share classes.
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