First critical connection implemented for new statewide high performance network for K-12

LOS ALAMITOS, CA – April 25, 2001: Last night, the first county-based access node for California’s new, world-class K-12 education telecommunications network, known as the Digital California Project, or DCP began operations at the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. Nearly all 96 schools and 37,000 students can connect to the DCP via the San Luis Obispo node.

"The power of the Internet to provide information was limited by access speed. This advanced services network through the Digital California Project further expands the ability of our students to search for knowledge.” said Julian D. Crocker, San Luis Obispo County Superintendent of Schools. “Completion of this link in San Luis Obispo County is yet again evidence of the strong collaborative relationship across the K-20 spectrum. Through that relationship, we know that we can create great tools for student learning."

California State Senator Jack O'Connell (D-San Luis Obispo) agrees, “This is a significant milestone for K-12 schools in San Luis Obispo County and all of California. By delivering advanced network services to K-12 schools across the state, the Digital California Project (DCP) will give local students and teachers access to the next generation of educational and training resources. This network will help bridge the digital divide, bringing together K-12 schools, public and private universities, and educational research institutions. It will enable unparalleled collaboration and delivery of rich academic programs and learning content to all 58 California Counties. I am proud to see San Luis Obispo County, as an initial DCP site, playing a pivotal role in this worthy endeavor.”

Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker adds, “This is a critical milestone in the construction of California’s teaching and learning infrastructure that we have all been promoting. It signifies an opening up of possibilities for collaboration to strengthen how our State and its educational resources are aligned. It enables us to better educate all our students by providing higher bandwidth -- and increased connectivity – for the K-12 System. We are proud that the CSU and Cal Poly have been able to apply our talent to help achieve this accomplishment.”

The Fresno County Office of Education is the next node scheduled for completion. These county-based access nodes are positioned to take full advantage of extant county, district and school networks and the telecommunications infrastructure at school sites. By connecting the existing K-12 county and school district networks to these nodes, K-12 schools, district offices and county offices can then connect to each other statewide through the DCP. In addition, they will be able to connect to the Internet2 network and the commercial Internet.

In appropriating funds for DCP in this year’s budget, Governor Gray Davis and the Legislature declared that advanced service networks like the DCP are essential to the future of K-12 education in California. While other states have had statewide networks to serve K-12, the DCP is the most robust developed to date.

The objective of the DCP is to create a statewide digital infrastructure to help prepare the next generation of students to become productive, knowledgeable workers and citizens with the skills to excel in the network-driven economy. Teachers and students throughout the State will use the DCP network to access rich educational resources and robust applications that are not possible using the commercial Internet.

Specifically, the DCP network plan extends the CalREN/4CNet infrastructure backbone into all 58 counties in the State by providing 13 DCP backbone hub sites strategically located regionally throughout California, and 71 primary access nodes, at least one in each county. Later, up to another 60 secondary access nodes may be added to DCP.

Pacific Bell plans to install Cisco equipment at all access node sites and provision 71 high-speed leased lines necessary for the DCP network. Verizon and Williams Communications are installing the remaining 25 high-speed lines.

CENIC, under contract with University of California, is responsible for planning, implementing and managing the DCP. CENIC has created a DCP Program Steering Committee with broad representation of the education community to guide various aspects of the DCP initiative from network design to content delivery.

About CENIC

CENIC is a not-for-profit corporation formed by the California Institute of Technology, the California State University, Stanford University, the University of California, and the University of Southern California to facilitate and coordinate the deployment, development, and operation of a set of seamless and robust advanced network services. The CENIC Associates program offers qualified companies the opportunity to collaborate with CENIC in pursuit of the goal of providing the most advanced network services for research and education. Cisco Systems, IBM, Pacific Bell and Sun Microsystems are CENIC’s Founding Partner Associates; General Atomics and Raytheon are Affiliate Associates.

CalREN-2 is the first project of CENIC. CENIC operates CalREN-2 for qualified public and private sector institutions for research and learning purposes. CalREN-2 is California's segment of the national Internet2 initiative and is partially funded by the National Science Foundation.

In the 2000-2001 fiscal year, the State of California provided funding for the Digital California Project, or DCP, which is CENIC’s second project. The DCP creates a cohesive and seamless advanced services network interconnecting K-12 schools and institutions of higher education in California.

More information about CENIC, the DCP, and the CENIC Associates program can be found at www.cenic.org.