SSTI Digest

Increasingly states are making it easier for high school students to participate in college courses while still attending high school. The goal of dual enrollment is to encourage more students to attend college, giving them a leg up on a degree. A new report by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education suggests the efforts are not working in Kentucky. Encouraging dual enrollment programs to provide academic rather than technical coursework may increase the matriculation rates of dually enrolled students, though.

Dual enrollment has doubled in Kentucky over the last five years. However, findings of a recent study examining dual enrollment data between 2001-02 and 2004-05 indicate that dual credit programs do not appear to enhance overall college matriculation rates.

With the proper utilization of existing resources, the development of key new programs, strong leadership within state government and coordinated efforts among all programs and stakeholders, Kentucky has the opportunity to become a world leader in specific niches of the life sciences industry, says a report from the Governor's Life Sciences Consortium.

The consortium, created in July 2004 by Gov. Ernie Fletcher, is comprised of experts in professional, entrepreneurial, governmental, and academic fields. The group recently released a strategic plan for positioning Kentucky a leader among states and regions in the life sciences by focusing on four key areas: natural products, medical devices, health technology services, and niche pharmaceuticals and niche biotechnology.

Moving forward with the governor's statewide broadband initiative, the ConnectKentucky Steering Committee and Gov. Ernie Fletcher recently unveiled Phase I Maps to illustrate service gaps and to serve as an economic development resource for communities.

The phase is intended to produce maps using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to provide a comprehensive statewide inventory of existing broadband service and infrastructure. The committee will use the GIS maps and other demand and supply-side incentives toward full broadband deployment by 2007 under the governor's Prescription for Innovation initiative (see the Oct. 25 issue of the Digest). A second phase of the mapping project will identify expansion plans for 2005.

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher appointed Denise Bentley to serve as liason to the Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government councils under the Governor’s Office for Local Development. The position is newly created.

Eric Davis, president of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corp, resigned last week.

According to Gov. Ernie Fletcher, Kentucky is on the wrong side of a widening digital divide as the Commonwealth ranks 44th in its proportion of high-tech companies, 45th in household computer use, and 43rd in citizen Internet use. To help improve these figures, the governor has called for a broadband deployment and adoption plan that will leverage state, federal and private investment to have full, statewide broadband deployment by 2007.

The plan, Prescription for Innovation: Delivering Broadband Technology for a 21st Century, will address challenges of Kentucky businesses and residents by identifying their needs and implementing community-specific plans. Building upon the success of the rural broadband bill signed earlier this year (see the May 24 issue of the Digest), the plan will address the supply-side and demand-side issues resulting from full deployment and increased adoption.

The Alaska MEP, a new nonprofit entity formed by the Alaska Native Arts Foundation and the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, has named Robert Pope as the first Interim Director.

The pace for new advances in science and technology has quickened significantly over the past 10 years -- so much so that companies are challenged to stay current with the latest innovations. Entire new fields such as nanotechnology are being created while products introduced this week may be obsolete before the year is out.

If tech firms and research labs are having trouble keeping up with science and technology, how do we expect our K-12 science teachers to do so when they are always in front of a classroom? Is it an issue for inspiring new students into these fields when they enter college?

In perhaps one of the first of its kind a new study testing Kentucky science teacher’s depth of knowledge and understanding of critical new technologies reveals the issue is quite real for the Commonwealth. The results most likely could be transferred to most school districts across the country, we suspect.

Brian Mefford will assume the position of president and CEO of Kentucky's Center for Information Technology Enterprise.

Advocates for deregulating Kentucky's broadband industry argued doing so would result in increased rural access to high speed Internet services. They'll have the chance to prove it with Gov. Ernie Fletcher's signature this week on deregulation legislation, HB 627.

The governor has promoted the rural broadband initiative since taking office in December. According to the Progressive Policy Institute, Kentucky currently ranks 41st in the nation in broadband deployment.