Western Oklahoma State College

1998 USDA Distance Learning Grant

Western Oklahoma State College
$226,040 Grant
Location: Altus, Oklahoma
Area(s) served: Kiowa, Jackson; Contact: Kent Brooks
Telephone Number: (580) 477-7764
Fax Number: (580) 477-7861
Congressional District(s): 4th, 6th.

The Western Oklahoma State College has received a grant on behalf of the Kiowa-NET consortium which includes four independent rural school districts and one regional community college (Western Oklahoma State College). This project will extend opportunities for the sharing of resources over an area larger than the State of Rhode Island. This project will enable the rural school districts to fulfill a need to provide expanded course offerings, higher education opportunities in the school and community and address the great need for professional development. Benefits of this project will include the sharing of teaching and classroom resources and programs between consortium participants; provide additional video networking and data equipment for interaction with other southwestern Oklahoma K-12 school districts; provide quality professional development for teachers; provide technical assistance training; and provide concurrent enrollment for high school students so they may actually earn college credits before graduating from high school. Fulfillment of this vision will provide the overall benefits of distance learning to 2,060 students and 166 teachers and administrators in the four districts.

1999 USDA Distance Learning Grant

Western Oklahoma State College; Altus, Oklahoma
$304,825 Grant
County Served: Caddo
Contact: Mr. Kent Brooks, (580) 477-7764: Fax (580) 477-7861

This proposal, submitted by Western Oklahoma State College (Western) on behalf of the Caddo-Net Consortium, expands upon a previously awarded grant. The Caddo-Net Consortium is an informal entity consisting of four independent school districts, the Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma (Caddo) and one regional community college, Western. The project will give distance learning opportunities to Caddo and the four school districts through access to Western's network, resources and partnerships. Approximately 2,049 students and 61 teachers and administrators in the four rural school districts will benefit from the distance learning project. In addition, the project will provide distance learning opportunities, job instruction and job advancement possibilities to all citizens served by the four school districts. It will also provide a unique benefit by providing access to the Native American Culture of Caddo. At some future point, telemedicine and other business applications may utilize the system since the school is the center of the rural community and is used for multiple purposes. Interactive videoconferencing equipment will be installed at each of the four schools, Caddo, and Western. Western will serve as the hub site for the proposed project.

2000 USDA Distance Learning Grant

WESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE COLLEGE, Altus, Oklahoma
$267,825 Grant
Area(s) served: Cotton, Washita, Jefferson, and Jackson Counties
Contact: Mr. Kent Brooks, (580) 477-7764 FAX: (580) 477-7861
Congressional District: 4th and 6th

Western Oklahoma State College, a two-year community college, in partnership with five rural independent school districts proposes to use RUS grant funds to purchase interactive distance learning studio equipment and equipment, which will allow connectivity to the five rural school districts, and to other networks outside the consortium. This equipment will provide access to library materials at Western Oklahoma State College and offer teacher and technician training. Included as part of Western's mission is to deliver education opportunities and to promote sharing of informational resources through telecommunications capabilities established at the college. The network and training will benefit the communities involved by allowing provision of educational training, job instruction, and job advancement opportunities to the citizens served by the school districts. This project will serve1,870 students in four Counties.

2002 USDA Distance Learning Grant

Western Oklahoma State College; Altus, Oklahoma
$415,696 Grant
Area(s) Served: Jackson County Towns of Blair, Duke, Eldorado, Navajo, Olustee & Altus; Greer County Towns of Granite & Mangum; Caddo County Town of Apache; Cotton County Town of Walters; Comanche County Towns of Cache & Medicine Park
Contact: Randy Cumby, (580) 477-770; Fax: (580) 477-7861
Congressional District(s): Applicant: 4th / Project: 4th &6th

The Western Oklahoma State College, on behalf of the Southwest Oklahoma Rural Consortium, has been awarded RUS grant funds for an interactive distance learning project consisting of eleven (11) end-user sites. The project participants are seven (7) independent rural school districts, the Comanche Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, one regional community college and one private sector firm. The project will benefit approximately 5,579 students in a four county area covering 3148 square miles. Specifically, RUS grant funds will assist in providing: (a) interactive distance learning studio equipment; (b) equipment which will allow connectivity to eleven (11) end user sites; (c) connection to other networks outside the consortium; (d) equipment upgrades which provide access to electronic storage and retrieval of courses, course material and Comanche Indian Cultural and Language seminars; (e) teacher and technician training; and, (f) development of introductory Comanche language training content and remedial math preparation. The network and training will also benefit local communities by providing educational training, job instruction, and job advancement opportunities to the citizens served by the school districts. It is feasible that, in the future, some telemedicine and other business applications may use the system. The project involves sites that have past experience with distance learning as well as sites that have not had distance learning experience. All schools involved with this project will use T-1 transmission facilities from various telecommunications providers.

2003 USDA Distance Learning Grant

Western Oklahoma State College; Altus, OK
$495,200
Area(s) Served: Counties of Comanche, Roger Mills, Blaine, Caddo, and Payne
Contact: Kent Brooks (580) 477-7764; Fax: (580) 477-7861
Congressional District(s): Applicant, 3rd; Project, 3rd and 4th.

Western Oklahoma State College will use RUS grant funds to develop a system of distance learning opportunities. This project will make available dual enrollment for high school students to earn college course credits to 24,000 students of two county school districts and three Native American Nations. The project will also offer adult vocational training courses and course curriculum to 4,000 residents of three Native American reservations which will enable them to obtain GED diplomas and improve their ability to secure meaningful employment in the area. The project will also provide for shared teaching and classroom resources and programs between end user sites, provide teachers with the ability to take courses to continue their teacher training, and to improve the graduation rates of Native American students.

2005 USDA Distance Learning Grant

Altus, OK
$485,490
Areas Served: Jackson, Pontotoc, Woods, Cimarron, Le Flore, Major, Okfuskee, Logan, Keye Counties
Contact: Randy Crumby
Telephone: 580-477-7764
Fax: 580-477-7861
Congressional District: OK-02, OK-03, OK-04

Ten schools, one university, one community college, and the Museum of the Western Prairie along with partnership of The Cheyenne Arapahoe Tribe will create a distance learning network. Offerings over the network will include teacher training, introductory Cheyenne Arapahoe language training, and remedial math preparation. The project will serve approximately 2,856 students and 185 teachers.