Teleconferencing Project Correspondence

TO: County Office of Education Superintendents

FROM: Tom Henry, FCMAT CAO

SUBJECT: FCMAT Teleconferencing Project Update


The teleconferencing project continues to move forward in a slow and deliberate manner. As of 1/23/97 the $750,000 appropriated for this project has not been released from General Services. This delay has placed the telecast ready date of May in question. FCMAT staff members continue to work with the California Department of Education (CDE) and General Services in addressing the numerous questions and transfer requirements for this project. We have been informed that the funds may be released during the last week of January.

On a more positive note, completed surveys are being sent back to FCMAT, providing critical information related to the satellite receiver dish. Our technical staff will be contacting county offices, assisting with those surveys not yet received. Additionally, several equipment vendors and manufacturers have been meeting with our office staff, performing systems integration tests. These tests will allow us to uplink a signal from our office and receive it on a receiver dish system. The tests will help us identify all of the components necessary to make the system work trouble-free with nontechnical operators.

We appreciate your patience with this project and assure you that the FCMAT staff is positive about the prospects of offering professional development via teleconferencing. If you have any questions or concerns about our statewide teleconferencing project, please call me at (805) 636-4611. Thank you for your support and assistance with this important endeavor.

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