RUS GRANT PROVIDES NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING IN NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN
State: Wisconsin
Grantee: Nicolet Distance Education Network
Counties: Vilas, Iron, Forest, Oneida, Florence, Lincoln, Marinette & Rusk
Subject: Native American Reservation, Internet Access

There is a 5,000 square mile area in rural northeastern Wisconsin that has one of the highest concentrations of lakes in the world. It is served by low quality two lane highways and two lane county roads. The harsh winter weather only adds to the trouble of traveling from place to place. The poverty rate in the area is 25 percent higher than the rest of the state, and the proportion of residents without high school diplomas is 15 percent greater than the state average. Dispersed throughout the area are 20 school districts located more than 30 miles apart from each other. Rurality has made these school districts’ attempts to attract more qualified teachers futile.

In 1992, the Nicolet Distance Education Network (NDEN), a grassroots consortium of local school districts was formed to explore solutions for providing a cost effective, comprehensive curriculum for these low enrollment, rural school districts. NDEN membership includes sixteen K-12 districts, four K-8 districts, Nicolet Area Technical College, and the Stone Lake Native American Reservation. In the fall of 1994, after more than two years of meetings, developing strategies, and planning, NDEN concluded that distance learning technologies were the solution to their problems.

NDEN applied for and received an RUS Distance Learning grant in August 1995. The $325 thousand grant allowed the NDEN to purchase a state-of-the-art digital two-way interactive audio/video system. Distance learning equipment placed at 22 educational institutions provides educational opportunities to consortium members and the community as well. The system enhances K-8 education through access to educational speakers and programs. High school courses required for graduation and personal enrichment which previously have been difficult to provide are now available, including Physics, Calculus, Analytical Geometry, and college and advanced level courses. Traditionally, the Native American population has been reluctant to leave the reservation for educational opportunities, resulting in most of their population not receiving an adequate curriculum. The system expands the educational opportunities on the Native American reservation by connecting their schools with other NDEN members and other tribes enabling them to receive the necessary educational skills to compete for area jobs. In addition to school district use, the community utilizes the network for higher education courses which provide baccalaureate and graduate school instruction. Workshops, seminars, and special employee training courses, which can be accessed before and after work and on weekends are also available. And, during the NDEN’s first year of service, 2,500 residents had Internet access. The years spent by the NDEN planning and pursuing this grant have paid off for the 50,000 area residents who benefit from the advanced telecommunications technologies. The project demonstrates how small, rural, dispersed schools and communities can use new technologies to solve their most pressing problems.