Broadband:

A: The California K-12 High Speed Network is a state program funded by the California Department of Education. K12HSN's objective is to connect K-12 schools, districts and county offices of education to each other, and to the same high speed, advanced services network backbone which connects the state’s higher education institutions. The K12HSN is linked to the larger Internet2 as well as the public internet.  

The mission of the California K-12 High Speed Network is to enable educators, students and staff across the state to have access to a reliable high speed network which has the capacity to deliver high quality online resources to support teaching and learning and promote academic achievement.

A: The K12HSN provides access to rich content resources for teaching and learning, to prepare students with the basic knowledge and specific skills to inspire them to enter and be successful in higher education and in the 21st century workforce.

Additionally, the network serves a statewide "Intranet" for education that allows a new breed of applications and uses to be developed and supported. For all services with which K12HSN or CENIC have been able to negotiate special arrangements, the K-12 traffic does not leave the CalREN Network to find the resource on the commercial Internet. Google, for instance agreed to a peering arrangement with CENIC and all K-12 traffic on the CalREN Network using Google to search for information stays on the CalREN Network – no commercial Internet charges are generated.

A: Visit the DataLINK page under The Network in the side navigation to see who is connected in each county.

You may also contact:

Teri Sanders, Director K-12 Outreach
Phone: (760) 312-6158
E-mail:

A: The K12HSN is designed to provide the network infrastructure for statewide interconnectivity of existing computer networks among K-12 entities. Acquisition of additional computer systems or local area networks is beyond the scope of this project.

Q: What kinds of content or applications are available for use on the network?

A: While development of applications and resources is outside the scope of this project, K12HSN works to enhance access to resources available through other education technology programs, the 58 county offices of education, and resources provided by other entities who are willing to share. The resources address a wide range of needs including teacher preparation, professional development, curriculum, and library information resources.

The K12HSN offers a coordinating mechanism for strengthening the educational relationships between the K-12 schools and universities and an environment that nurtures these relationships. Specifically, this coordination component involves identifying applications and resources that can best serve the K-12 community.

The programs, applications and services provided through these relationships are delivered via the K12HSN in a friendly, time efficient manner for K-12 educators and students.

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Q: How and why was the Advisory Board established?

A: Legislation adopted in 2006, AB1228 (Daucher) – Internet connectivity [Chapter 522, Statutes 2006], required the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to appoint a 12-member board.  Members represent the SPI, the Secretary of Education, the lead agency, county offices of education, school districts, and school sites.

The California Department of Education, at the direction of the SPI, proceeded to appoint a large county superintendent (representing a county with a student population greater than 60,000), three district superintendents, and three school site representatives.  The CDE’s announcement and process for the appointments was provided on their website as well as through K12HSN communications channels.  After one extension, the deadline for application of December 22, 2006 was observed and appointments were made official January 17, 2007.

Other seats were filled by vote of the 58 county superintendents, by appointment of Secretary of Education, and by virtue of serving as county superintendent for the Lead Education Agency responsible for the program.

The primary legislative charge was for the Advisory Board to adopt and report “measures of success for the program” to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Legislative Analysts’ Office by March 1, 2007.

Q: Who are the Advisory Board members?

A: For a current list, please visit our Advisory Board page.

Q: Is the meeting open to the public?
A: Yes, the session is a public meeting of a “state body” and as such the public is entitled to attend and participate.  Materials will be made available to members of the public in attendance at the meeting.  If a member of public requires accommodation for a disability, we request three business days’ notice of this need in order to make arrangements for addressing the need.  Please see our Advisory Board page and the posted agenda for contact information to request such arrangements.