UTHSCT & SUPERNet Celebrate 25th Anniversary

May 13, 2019

In April, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) celebrated their 25^th anniversary of the Schools United to Provide Enhanced Resources Network Consortium (SUPERNet) and the 20^th anniversary of the SUPERNet II Consortium partnership. The consortiums, partners with UTHSCT, are collaborative efforts with local East Texas rural school districts to provide affordable Internet access and technical expertise to allow for the advancement of education within their district. This connectivity aimed to afford a community of educators and their stakeholders to progress towards the future of education. Beginning in 1994, on the cusp of the World Wide Web’s takeover, the project set forth to fulfill their charge.

The beginning of the SUPERNet Consortium converged with major events in public education during 1994. This was a time when schools began to dream about accessing educational resources via the Internet, high stakes testing became the norm, a proliferation of computers emerged in schools, the Texas Legislature published its Long-Range Plan for Technology, and the US Department of Education issued Title II Part D mandating a new level of technology integration in public education. However, at the time, there was no connectivity in the East Texas school districts, leaving the districts lagging behind this new education wave. The realization of the region’s trailing progression motivated a small group of schools to band together to support systemic change by the attraction of a higher education partner, UTHSCT. Once partnered, the consortium successfully secured alternative funding to build one of the finest technology infrastructures in Texas. The infrastructure’s founding allowed opportunities for collaboration among school districts by leveraging combined buying power to reduce the cost of technology related services

The SUPERNet Consortium is comprised of 17 East Texas school districts:

 

SUPERNet and SUPERNet II dedicated itself to forging milestones in curriculum and instruction, professional development, and in growing a well-connected professional-learning community among member districts, teachers, administrators, technology directors, partners, higher education and community members. Working with a research-based constructivist model, SUPERNet has prepares teachers for the 21st Century. The consortium provides wide area network connectivity with strong, stable Internet services, offering curriculum resources and courses, and a Virtual High School, one of the first in the state. SUPERNet Virtual High School is now a course provider statewide through Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). SUPERNet currently serves on the advisory board for TxVSN. Additionally, it delivers video conferencing services and distance learning opportunities with a gateway to colleges and universities through the Northeast Texas Consortium of Colleges and Universities.

In its 25 years, the project has gained national recognition being selected as one of two Texas Spotlight Schools to present at the Secretary’s Conference on Education Technology in Washington D.C. The U.S. Secretary of Education’s program review of SUPERNet lauded the consortium, “It is this network of SUPERNet schools that is a single most important factor enabling change to be sustained. Previously isolated in time and space, these schools now know that they are not alone in the change process.”

The CORD research group adopted SUPERNet’s plan for teacher professional development collaboration as their model for replication in Missouri, an area very similar in demographics to SUPERNet districts. Additionally, the consortia won the Award of Excellence in Education from Microsoft & Intel Teach to the Future. Further, SUPERNet has been featured in two different issues of the EdLiNC publication as an E-Rate Success Story and has also been featured in publications by Dell, VCOM, and the Texas Center for Educational Technology. Moreover, Texas Distance Learning Association recognized the SUPERNet for Outstanding Commitment to Excellence and Innovation in Distance Learning by an Organization. In addition to these recognitions, the consortia have received multiple grants, totaling in the hundreds of thousands, to continue educational advancement for the region.

Currently, SUPERNet is involved in a Wide Area Network Fiber Project with East Texas Telephone Coop, LEARN, and Conterra. SUPERNet has applied for funds with USAC and with the Texas Classroom Connectivity Special Construction State Match Grant.

As SUPERNet looks to the future, the consortia’s purpose is now more important than ever. K-12 curriculum, college readiness, and workplace training demand is now more critical than seen before, Thus, SUPERNet sets their sights on more connectivity to regional and global resources to continue to deliver the best for their students. The SUPERNet Consortia is another prime example of how The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler is Advancing Education. Together.