Statewide numbers show big savings on broadband without IEN; same approach will be followed for next year

The data is in from most of Idaho’s school districts, and it appears that the state is seeing big savings now that the districts have found their own vendors for broadband services to replace the defunct Idaho Education Network, for which the state’s $60 million contract with two politically connected vendors was declared illegal. With 93 of 129 school districts reporting as of Friday, total costs now appear to be 21 percent less, and districts are getting more bandwidth. “The cost per megabit was cut nearly in half,” legislative budget analyst Robyn Lockett told legislative budget writers this morning.

That data helped lawmakers make their decision on the state Superintendent of Public Instruction’s budget for next year this morning: They included $6.3 million for school broadband for next year, compared to the $8 million the services would have cost under the IEN. Lawmakers also shifted five positions from the state Department of Administration to the Department of Education to cover state staffing and operating costs, and approved a $94,300 request from state Superintendent Sherri Ybarra for a new purchasing and contracts manager. Ybarra didn’t attend this morning’s JFAC session, but her special assistant, former state Sen. Tim Corder, did, along with other staffers. The state Department of Education oversees more than 1,000 contracts.

The $6.3 million for school broadband next year is a “worst-case” cost estimate, Lockett explained, because it doesn’t include any reimbursements school districts would receive from federal e-rate funds. All are applying for those funds; most are expected to get from 50 percent to 90 percent of their costs reimbursed.

It compares to the $10.5 million that Gov. Butch Otter had recommended spending for the IEN next year through the state Department of Administration, whose budget is up for setting on Wednesday morning.

All districts will be required to follow state procurement laws and take competitive bids for the service for next year. For the current year, districts were allowed to fall under an exception if needed; fewer than a half-dozen took advantage of that. Those districts largely stayed with their current provider, Education Networks of America, and saw little savings; some saw big increases.