Purpose/Mission/Values History and Future Staff Office Map and Directions K-20 EDUCATION NETWORK HISTORY AND FUTURE

Founded in 1996, the K-20 Education Network is a visionary solution to a unique convergence of conditions: the advent of the statewide broadband transport network; the diverse needs expressed by all sectors of the educational community; and the state’s will to build one shared solution to serve all of them reliably and cost-effectively. The result is the nation’s first high-speed, high-capacity network linking colleges, universities, K-12 school districts and libraries statewide and enabling unprecedented creation of innovative applications by the educational community. Today, the K-20 Education Network works for Washington—providing smart, cost-effective video and data services to more than 476 locations throughout the state. We enable more efficient use of scarce teacher resources and sought-after programs, making them available to students in communities large and small, urban and rural, across Washington. As we support the educational community’s technology needs today, we are building to meet its needs 10 years into the future. We are also encouraging the educational community to think about, and use, technology in exciting and innovative ways. We do so by showcasing how others are using the network and by providing solutions, synergies and partnerships that break new ground in linking education and technology.