INFORMATIONAL

  A language amendment to the 1996 Appropriation Act relative
  to the purposes of Section 56-232, Code of Virginia,
  Contracts of Telephone Companies with State Government and
  the purposes of Section 56-234, Contracts for Service
  Rendered by a Telephone Company for State Government,
  authorize the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the
  Director of the Council on Information Management to
  negotiate the rate structure for communication lines used
  for educational technology in public schools.  The amendment
  also authorizes the Superintendent and the Director to
  encourage the development of a "by-pass" infrastructure in
  localities that fail to obtain competitive prices or prices
  consistent with the best rates obtained in other parts of
  the state.  A status report was provided to the General
  Assembly in January, 1997.  The study is to be continued
  until the 1998 General Assembly.

  The Arlington County Public School Division has negotiated a
  contract for long distance service which includes an option
  for use by school divisions statewide.  Through a
  competitive bid process, Sprint was chosen to provide
  domestic long distance switched intrastate service at the
  rate of .09060 per minute and interstate service at the rate
  of 0.0720 per minute.  These rates are at a lower rate than
  some existing service to which schools presently subscribe.

  Questions concerning the Legislative study may be directed
  to Ida J. Hill at (804) 225-2757.  School divisions
  interested in the Arlington contract and long distance rates
  should contact Linda Richmond, Director of Administrative
  Technology and Information Systems, Arlington County Schools
  at (703) 358-6036.

  RTL/emt