Microsoft Could Join Public Schools for a Statewide Tech Academy

Microsoft could be part of a statewide tech program for public school school students, as State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn announced a partnership between the state and the Redmond-based company on Monday.

Dorn is scheduled to speak about the proposal during a work session of the House Education Appropriations and Oversight Committee at 9 a.m. Tuesday April 5 in House Hearing Room A of the John L. O'Brien Building.

The program would create a statewide IT Academy in Washington state, according to a press release from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

According to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction:

The Washington IT Academy is a technology education program consisting of two major areas: training and certification. Students and teachers and administrators can take advantage of the training through online courses and official Microsoft materials. They then can become certified in a number of IT subjects, including Microsoft Office as well as advanced topics such as programming, network administration and database development. Microsoft will provide the software and staff support to every high school in the state.

“This is a huge win for Washington,” Dorn said. “More than 300,000 students would have access to Microsoft training through the Academy. More and more, future jobs will require high-tech skills, and the chance to get those skills for free at the high school level is remarkable.

“We’ve been working on this plan for about four months,” Dorn said. “We’re very close to an agreement. But the agreement requires legislative approval before we can make it available to students. The cost is $2 million. That small investment could get us a program that would cost school districts $30 million if they purchased this program individually.”

OSPI, Microsoft Education and school districts will discuss this innovative program in the House Education Appropriations and Oversight Committee. “I appreciate Representative Kathy Haigh and the Committee agreeing to hear the details about this exciting program – I’m convinced this will make a difference for students across this State,” Dorn said.

Public affairs network TVW is scheduled to broadcast the committee meeting on the Web. For more information about viewing the network's webcasts click here. A direct link to the webcast will be available Tuesday morning.