New Mexico launched a broadband network on July 1 to link public schools across the state, reported Government Technology. The network, dubbed New Mexico’s Statewide Education Network, links 15,000 students across 30 schools.
Dozens more schools are lined up to join the network, with statewide adoption expected by 2027. The project includes public and charter schools, with a vision to “share classes and educational materials, as well as resources on tutoring, mental health, and college preparation.” The network will also connect students, teachers, superintendents, and other personnel.
“This has been a mammoth undertaking, and we’re very excited that the network is finally alive,” Ovidiu Viorica, the network’s broadband and technology manager, said in a news release. “This is an extraordinary achievement that will see productive returns for our children and our state.”
Government Technology reported that the project is funded by state and federal dollars, including a portion of federal infrastructure allocations and a $5 million investment from the state’s Public School Capital Outlay Council. The network’s upkeep will be centralized by administrators responsible for the system’s daily operations and cybersecurity procedures, unburdening schools and districts from these daily tasks.
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