LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe says the state can reallocate $15 million to expand broadband access to schools that are lacking fast Internet connections.
The governor said Monday that he still wants K-12 schools to be able to use the broadband system that's available for universities in Arkansas, but that would take action by the Legislature. Beebe considered including the issue on the call for a special session earlier this summer.
The state Education Department is to take $15 million now spent on copper-based Internet connections and use the money plus federal funding to build a high-speed fiber network.
Beebe also announced the state finance office will audit the Department of Information Systems to evaluate whether changes are needed in the agency that operates state computer systems.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.