Network Nebraska reaches 100 percent participation from public schools.

LINCOLN, Nebraska, September 23, 2016—

This week Nebraska’s Chief Information Officer announces the 245th and final public school district has elected to join the statewide education network known as Network Nebraska. The elected participation from 100 percent of Nebraska public schools has affectively lowered the cost of commodity internet rates for the aggregate network including universities and state colleges, private K-12 schools, and public libraries.

The State CIO’s office reports, the 2016-17 Internet unit rate dropped another 16% from last year, and the project has brought about an Internet cost decrease of 99.1% since 2007.  Over the course of its 10-year history, Network Nebraska has become one of the largest, most affordable statewide education networks of its type in the country, and has achieved one of the lowest commodity Internet rates.

Ed Toner, State CIO appointed by Governor Ricketts in June 2015, states, “Network Nebraska is one of the best public-private partnerships that I have seen. It is lean, affordable, and completely dedicated to serving the taxpayers of Nebraska by brokering lower cost telecommunications services for its education partners.”

University of Nebraska CIO, Walter Weir, has been one of the executive sponsors of Network Nebraska since its inception. “The University of Nebraska is very proud of the role that it plays in helping provide affordable, reliable, secure and super-fast telecommunications for every public education student, teacher, and administrator in Nebraska, serving over 400,000 daily end users. It has been a great partnership working with the State CIO’s Office.”  When asked about the next decade for this statewide network, co-chairs of the Nebraska Advisory Group, Scott Jones of ESU 16 and Debbie Schroeder of UNK, said, “We see no limit in the number and types of educational services that Network Nebraska can provide in the future to enhance teaching, learning and administration across the State.”

The state legislature wrote Network Nebraska into law in 2006 and directed the State of Nebraska Office of the Chief Information Officer and the University of Nebraska Computing Services Network to cooperatively manage the enterprise project. Network Nebraska interconnects all of the public school districts, educational service units, and public colleges and universities on a single network for purposes of distance education and providing affordable Internet access. Network Nebraska also serves many private schools, several public libraries and one municipality.

More information about Network Nebraska: www.networknebraska.ne.gov.

Contact:
Ed Toner
Chief Information Officer
Nebraska- Office of the CIO
Phone: 402-471-3560