FL Schools Stay Connected

Federal authorities have questioned a decision by state Education Commissioner Jim Horne and the state technology office to hire Hayes E-Government Resources to operate the vast system known as the Florida Information Resource Network. The network—which is found in school libraries, computer labs, and classrooms—links all of Florida's public schools to the Internet and provides e-mail service to thousands of teachers.

"The chances of losing Internet access are slim to none," says Marine. "We've appealed the decision, and we're confident that they will understand that although we didn't choose the lowest price, the company we chose offers the best value for the money." If the appeal is rejected, the state has contingency plans that include asking the state legislature for the money. The network is currently funded through the fall semester.