From Regional Innovation to Statewide Transformation

Executive Summary

Over the past three decades, Michigan has built a collaborative, cost‑effective, and equity‑focused educational technology infrastructure. This paper outlines Jason Kronemeyer’s leadership—from early regional networking in the Eastern Upper Peninsula to statewide shared-services initiatives (MiSEN, MiCloud, MiNOC) and digital equity strategies—culminating in clear recommendations for future state and national leadership roles.

1. Regional Innovation in the Eastern Upper Peninsula (1990–2000)

Hired in 1999 as a computer technician, Jason supported early school connectivity across the EUP, prioritizing “connectivity for learning” over entertainment 1 2.
As Director of Technology and leader of REMC 22/EUPTC, he oversaw cost-effective regional IT services under Merit Network membership since 1998 3 4.

2. EUP as a Living Laboratory (2000–2010)

Drove regional IT consolidation, including virtualization and private cloud models, to support 19 local districts.
Pioneered the Michigan Moonshot as a pilot for citizen science broadband data collection—positioning the region as a model for formal statewide measurement 3 5.

3. METL Leadership and Policy Engagement

Active in the Michigan Education Technology Leaders (METL) network, collaborating with ISD/RESA technology leaders to align shared infrastructure and strategy 4.

4. Statewide Shared Services (2010–2023)

4.1 Michigan Statewide Educational Network (MiSEN)

Served as consultant to MAISA, contributing to the 2024 MiSEN Consolidation Feasibility Study that aims to connect all 56 ISDs via TRIG and E‑Rate funding 6 7.
MiSEN’s mission is to provide high-capacity connectivity statewide; a 2024 $49.85 M 12c grant supports full school connectivity 6 8 9.

4.2 Michigan Cloud (MiCloud)

Acted as a consultant on MiCloud workgroups and feasibility studies, advocating for centralized hosting with equitable rural access 10 11.
Reported ~64 % cost reductions in cloud hosting with ROI from disaster recovery, leveraging economies of scale and shared service models 10 12.
A 2024–25 12c grant realized ~$313 K in annual savings and impacted over 52,000 students 12 11.

5. Digital Equity and Funding Strategy

Utilized ARP/ESSER federal funds to align broadband objectives across 19 school districts, three hospitals, Bay Mills Community College, and municipal governments—targeting 60–70 % of EUP service locations for connectivity by end‑2023 and aiming for full coverage ahead of a 2026 construction deadline 13.
Elevated schools as community anchor institutions, securing buy-in from regional partners 13.
Collaborated with the MSU Quello Center and Merit Network, integrating K‑12 citizen science broadband measurement into Michigan’s BEAD/DEA digital equity planning 14 5.
Recognized as a Benton Broadband Champion, credited with catalyzing deep broadband infrastructure investment and community engagement in the EUP 2 1.

6. Leadership Impact

Jason’s leadership is marked by:

Institutionalizing regional and statewide shared services (cloud, network, cybersecurity)
Elevating rural IT as a replicable statewide model
Bridging local practice with state policy via active METL involvement
Ensuring sustainable funding, avoiding temporary or siloed investments
Empowering communities through data-driven digital equity approaches

7. Recommendations for Future Leadership

Jason is poised for leadership in the following areas:

State-level shared-services governance, integrating MiSEN, MiCloud, and MiNOC under a unified office or Chief Technology Officer framework
Digital equity leadership, managing BEAD/DEA implementation and broadband access efforts statewide
National advocacy, bringing Michigan’s community-centered broadband strategies to forums such as CoSN, AASA, and NTIA
Mentor-practice translation, serving as a conduit between federal policy and local implementation in rural and underserved regions

Conclusion

From connecting remote classrooms in the 1990s to orchestrating statewide infrastructure consolidation and digital equity programs today, Jason Kronemeyer embodies the evolution of educational technology leadership in Michigan. His work illustrates how collaborative stewardship and community‑rooted strategy can catalyze transformation—offering a blueprint for both state and national leadership moving forward.

This paper is prepared for distribution to legislators, state agencies, foundations, universities, and national education and broadband stakeholders.