STATEWIDE EDUCATION NETWORK (SEN)
Completing the New Mexico Broadband Highway

Announcements

Ribbon Cutting at Albuquerque School
Celebrated Launch of Statewide Education Network
 
New Mexico’s Public Education Secretary, APS Superintendent, OBAE officials and other dignitaries held a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 15, 2024, to mark the official launch of the Statewide Education Network (SEN). The ceremony marked a milestone in a New Mexico connectivity project that will eventually link hundreds of thousands of students. Dozens of schools have already connected to the school-centric broadband network. The ribbon cutting took place at the 21st Century Public Academy at 10am. Stakeholders and students were joined in the ceremony by New Mexico Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales, the New Mexico Secretary of Education Arsenio Romero, and Acting Director of the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Drew Lovelace, as well as industry leaders, state legislators, and broadband advocates.

Read the Press Release: Statewide Education Network (SEN) Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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The Federal Communications Commission has green-lighted more than $500,000 to go toward operations of the Statewide Education Network (SEN). The federal funding comes from the FCC’s Schools & Libraries USF Program, known as the E-rate program, which helps schools obtain internet service. SEN has begun connecting public schools in what will become a statewide broadband network, enabling students to share classes, resources and information and to access educational websites.

​Read the Press Release: SEN Federal Funds

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What is the Statewide Education Network (SEN)?

For New Mexico schools and school districts, the state is remote, rural & sparsely populated in many areas and IT expertise is not uniformly available. The Statewide Education Network (SEN) will provide better connectivity and expert network management. SEN is the foundation for the state-coordinated "middle mile," or "broadband highway."

SEN Rationale:

• Optimize the connectivity to schools
• Allow sharing of resources
• Lessons plans, instructional material, learning platforms, professional developmenT
• Leverage and maximize E-rate funding
• Reduce administrative burden
• Reduce cybersecurity risks (DDoS mitigation, monitoring)
• ​Same cost to the school (or lower)

SEN Process:

• Establish Nodes - upgrading electrical and cooling systems for Higher Ed facilities housing SEN Nodes„ 
  
• Establish Major Internet Routes - identify and add key “Middle Mile” corridors, closing of rings for resiliency (a “box“ around the SEN)
  
• Establish “Meet Me” and aggregation points - become launching points for “Last Mile”

SEN Phases:
Phase 1

• Nodes in Albuquerque, Socorro, Farmington, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Las Vegas (& Gallup, Roswell, Silver City, Clovis)
• Backbone circuits between nodes
• Commodity Internet in two locations
• Switch over Last Mile Circuits

Phase 2

• RFP for additional Last Mile circuits (expiring ‘23/24) – 56 districts/charters
• Negotiations & Contracting
• Add schools to the SEN

SEN Advisory Committee:
Learn more and join the SEN Advisory Committee HERE

Contact:
Ovidiu Viorica, Broadband Program Manager
​BDCP Team
Office of Broadband Access & Expansion (OBAE)
505-270-1355
[email protected]

Join the SEN Advisory Committee

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SEN User Portal Sign-in
Access the User Portal here.

SEN User Portal

Take a Closer Look at the SEN

Diagram of the Statewide Education Network (SEN)

Phase 1 current implementation - Statewide Education Network (as of summer 2024)
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Phase 1 current implementation Diagram - Statewide Education Network (as end of of summer 2024)

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SEN Operation TIMeline