Governor Napoltano at National Governors Conference Part 1

B60806GovatNAG1.doc

Our Governor Janet Napolitano is attending the 98^th National Governors Association (www.nga.org/ ) annual meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, August 5^th through 8^th. Arkansas’ Governor Mike Huckabee led off the conference plenary with a wrap-up speech about his NAG 2005-2006 initiative on Health and Wellness. Vice-Chair Napolitano will be elected Chairman for 2006-2007 on Monday. Her initiative will be on Education. Arizona’s progress with the governor’s P20 Council is expected to shape her leadership direction.

What about K-12 eLearning becoming a center point for the NGA 2006-2007 initiative? There is a progression of eLearning interest by the NGA since 2001.

An NGA study on the “State of eLearning in the States” 30 pp. addressed just post secondary education. http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/060601ELEARNING.pdf

In 2005 the NGA first addressed K-12 with “Phase Two: Use of Virtual Learning to Advance High School Improvement.”

http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.9123e83a1f6786440ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=ad8df68ff8f87010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD

It seems to me that they are now ready for a serious look at the adoption of eLearning well beyond the advance improvement in a part of K-12 education. The 2006-2007 NGA Education Initiative should address all academic performance aspects of K-12 education with a systematic adoption of eLearning.

Adoption is accelerating in Arizona. In 1992 there was one school wide adoption of 1:1 eLearning. Starting in 1995 a number of charter schools went eLearning. Then 14 Cyber schools were formed to serve over 10,000 students. Out of state virtual eLearning providers now support approximately 20,000 Arizona students. In 2005 Tucson high school went 1:1 eLearning. In 2006-2007 expect several more 1:1 schools to transform to eLearning. Just about every district and school has implemented eLearning classes and systems and are poised to move on eLearning adoption. In 2007-2008 the Arizona Middle School Math Pilot funded $3 by the legislature will provide world leading eLearning to about 10,000 more students.

Sir Ken Robinson - Leading Expert on Creativity, Innovation and Human Resources will deliver his closing speech on the education of students to meet the challenges of living and working the 21^st Century. We hope that the NGA Education Initiative has pick up on the essence of eLearning.

http://www.washingtonspeakers.com/speakers/Speaker.cfm?SpeakerID=3758

What is the essence you might ask? The essence of eLearning is that if the NGA really wants to make progress on their eLearning Initiatives well beyond expectations, then eLearning is the only horse to ride.

We will keep you updated on what comes out of the NAG Annual Meeting as it progresses.