E-Rate 2.0 Modernizing the E-Rate Program Elyse Eusanio Western Suffolk BOCES Instructional Technology

The History of E-Rate E-Rate is the commonly used name for the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the FCC.Universal Service FundUniversal Service Administrative Company Since 1998 over $17.9 billion in E-Rate finding disbursements have been distributed to schools and libraries nationwide. The program began in 1997 through the Telecommunications Act of 1996 designed to ensure that all eligible schools and libraries have affordable access to modern telecommunications and information services. The goal of E-Rate is to address the “digital divide”. Discount rates are determined by the number of students eligible for National School Lunch Program. President Obama has set a goal to have high speed broadband and Wi-Fi in 99% of all schools nationwide within 5 years. He referenced E-rate as an important program to help accomplish this goal. For more information on this please visit the USAC website:

Two Funding Priorities: Priority 1: Telecommunications, internet access & webhosting. Priority 2: Internal connections & Basic Maintenance - These requests are never guaranteed for funding. P2 requests are addressed after P1 requests have been reviewed and approved. E-Rate Consultants: Review all technology related contracts. Consultant Registration Number from USAC (this is mandatory requirement from USAC). Consultants should be aware of educational technology updates and how they relate to NYSED requirements. Consultants are not mandatory, applicants can choose to use an in-house staff member.

Technology Plan: E-Rate no longer requires a technology plan when applying for Priority 1 funding. A Technology Plan is required if you intend to apply for Priority 2 funding. Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Applicants are required to produce their CIPA policy when applying for any e- rate funding. If you have any questions regarding Technology Plans or CIPA compliance, please contact Renee Allen in our Professional Development Department. Eligible Services List (ESL) An updated list is provided with each new funding cycle. Provides guidance on the eligibility of products and services. For more information on the ESL please visit the website:

Understanding E-Rate E-Rate runs on a 3 year funding cycle. A request from USAC for additional information regarding specific reimbursement requests is a PIA (Program Integrity Assurance) The reimbursement discount is based on the applicants NSLP percentage or any other approved alternative discount method. Forms: 1) Form 470: Description of Services Requested and Certification Form 2) Form 471: Services Ordered and Certification Form. Note: The Form 471 cannot be filed prior to the 28 day waiting period, to allow for fair and competitive bidding. 3) Form 471 Item 21 Attachment: The applicant must provide documentation via vendor quote or contact of service for each item the applicant is applying for. Your Service Provider should assist in creating these documents.

Form 472: BEAR form - To be used when the applicant will receive their discount in the form or a reimbursement. Form 474: SPI form – Submitted by the Service Provider when payment is needed to pay for services completed. E-Rate & Western Suffolk Reimbursements & BOCES Aid W.S. BOCES is a Service Provider. The district, purchases services through our agency. These services can also be submitted for BOCES aid through the state, however BOCES service aid will only be applied to the portion of the fee that is not being reimbursed through e-rate funds. BOCES receives E-rate payments from USAC and credits the district account. Invoicing your Service Providers:

Modernizing the E-Rate Program Realizing that E-Rate has not kept pace with the ever growing & changing world of educational technology, in July, 2013 the FCC issued a proposal to explore ways to modernize E-Rate through: Data collection to track e-rate progress. Revise and streamline the application process. Review the disbursement process. Cost analysis of program expenditures vs. applicant disbursements. Focus funds on supporting Broadband within Schools and Libraries. Phasing out support for ‘outdated’ services. Creating more equitable funding for internal broadband connections.

As the FCC moves to modernize E-Rate W.S. BOCES will continue to be a cost effective Service Provider on the cutting edge of change by offering: Bulk Buying Competitive Bidding Broadband Planning Increased Transparency for E-Rate Spending & Support Services Vendor Management