WHAT IS THE JEDI NETWORK?

     The Jefferson-Eastern Dane Interactive network consists of ten school districts (Beloit, Cambridge, Deerfield, Fort Atkinson, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Marshall, Palmyra-Eagle, Whitewater) and three campuses of the Madison Area Technical College (Truax, Watertown, and Fort Atkinson). All consortium members have existed within Jefferson and Eastern Dane Counties until 2006 when Beloit School District joined the consortium. JEDI is

a fully interactive, two-way video and data system, that provides ITV Classes for students. In 2005 JEDI added On-line Classes and in 2006 a Virtual High School.  All JEDI member districts are equal partners.

HOW IS JEDI BEING USED?

     JEDI allows all school districts to share a variety of courses, including advanced-placement (AP) subject matter, languages, music and other unique course offerings. Additionally, school-to-work, apprenticeships, remedial types of programs and enrichment programs are being planned for the network.  In addition to direct instruction, the interactive network will be used for:

• Expanded inservice training opportunities from MATC, UW and other post secondary institutions.
• Teacher-to-teacher subject matter meetings and curriculum coordination.
• Administrative meetings across districts.
• Community, business, and after-school programs.

HOW WAS JEDI ACQUIRED?

     JEDI is leased by the Wisconsin Department of Adminstration on behalf of the participating school districts and MATC. The DOA issued a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) from a consortia of the region's telephone and cable television providers. The basic technical requirements were defined and cost estimates prepared based upon the required features, engineering studies, and vendor consultation. CESA #2, as management agents for JEDI, made application to the Wisconsin State Trust Fund Loan program in order to obtain the necessary funding for the project.

THE STEPS IN GETTING THERE

• An educational needs assessment and determination of community awareness and concerns was conducted during fall 1993.
• The Department of Administration issued a "Request for Proposal" to prospective providers in late fall of 1994.
• A project director was hired in February 1995 to direct program planning, scheduling, implementation and evaluation.
• JEDI issued a "letter of intent" in early May 1995 to Marcus Fiberlink for the purposes of contracting the build of the fiber optic, fully interactive network.
• A competitive bid process for acquiring studio equipment was conducted duringJune 1995 and equipment was delivered during the summer months, 1995.
• CESA #2 made application to the Wisconsin State Trust Fund Loan program in December 1995. The loan was approved in January 1996.
• Construction of the JEDI project began in May 1995 and concluded in July 1996.
• Each JEDI site modified an existing classroom to house the distance education studio.
• Distance education studios were installed over several months and were completed in July, 1996.
• Training programs for teachers and for the technical coordinators began in August 1996 and are on-going.
• JEDI offered it's first On-line Class in 2005.  To date we have nine On-line Classes available and growing. 
• In 2005 JEDI received a Charter School Grant.  Through this grant JEDI Virtual High School was formed. 
• In 2006 Beloit School District joined the consortium.
• JEDI programming began with the 1996/97 academic year and is on-going.

 

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