MLS specification and lab Version 1.0 of the MLS spec is the result of more than three years of integration and prototype development, including the deployment of a fully operational system for the state of Oklahoma. With version 1.0 operating in Oklahoma, the MLS Program will focus on soliciting participation from additional technology and education leaders, revising the current specification and publishing a 2.0 version in 2002. Sponsors and members of the MLS Program have access to the specification while it's in development. The lab is available for sponsors to test and demonstrate their products for interoperability relative to the MLS specification. Nearly every state has an initiative in legislation or on the books requiring school accountability for funding, which often drives IT spending.
Information technology lowers the cost of tracking student attendance and performance.
Additionally, it allows schools to track expenditures. Many school districts and state departments of education establish multi-million dollar contracts with single vendors to supply IT solutions. However, the MLS specification gives education a way to build powerful IT systems by choosing products from dozens of vendors with interoperable products, thus reducing initial cost, vendor lock-in and complexity. Founded in 1997, the organization has programs operating in 18 states and hundreds of schools nationwide. The organization has developed and executed programs for secondary and post secondary schools that offer training and technical curriculum as well as opportunities for youth to earn school credit and compensation while learning about technology.