1. FY18 Informational Webinar
Kenneth Klau, ESE
Steven Beland, EOTSS

2. CONTENTS Purpose & Priorities Eligibility Funding Fund Use Timeline01
Purpose & Priorities 02
Eligibility 03
Funding
CONTENTS 04
Fund Use 05
Timeline 06
FAQs 07
Your Questions

3. Purpose & Priorities 01

4. Purpose & Priorities
The purpose of this competitive, matching state grant program is to assist public school districts in improving student instruction and assessment through the use of information technology, including, but not limited to, enhanced information technology infrastructure (Wi-Fi).
Priority shall be given to applications that:
Maximize the access of broadband and improve the efficiency and productivity of education through the use of technology;
Provide student access to individualized and rigorous digital learning experiences;
Ensure that educators and administrators have the knowledge and skills to develop and implement digital learning curricula; and
Maximize taxpayer value, student access to information technology and information technology preparedness.
Interested in connecting to affordable, high-speed broadband? Schedule a consultation call with the Massachusetts EducationSuperHighway team: team/district-call/
The grant application, which you complete online, will have questions tied to each of these four priorities.
Note that this fall we will also be working with our partners, the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway, on helping districts connect to affordable, high-speed broadband. Because of E-rate and the state budget cycle, districts eligible for FY18 broadband grants had to apply for E-rate last spring. Districts that apply for E-rate for broadband upgrades this spring will be eligible to compete for FY19 dollars.

5. Eligibility 02

6. Eligibility
All districts are eligible, but they will be prioritized based on need as indicated by data collected by EOTSS and the MSBA in SY
Districts placed into three groups by priority: group 1, group 2, and group 3
Within each group, applications may be further prioritized based on the extent to which the overall applicant pool reflects the geographic diversity of the Commonwealth (e.g., suburban, urban, rural); number of students served; district accountability level; and whether the applicant applied for grant funds in the past, but was not funded, provided that a facility that received funding in prior years is not eligible.
Educational Collaboratives and charter schools are eligible if they are located on publicly-owned real property maintained for the benefit of the school district.
The “priority group” assigned to each district will be listed in Attachment A of the application.

7. Funding 03

8. Funding
Approximately $1.7 million in matching state funds are available to help districts upgrade their digital infrastructure.
Cities and towns will be required to contribute between 30% and 70% on a sliding scale (30, 40, 50, 60, 70) based on their local contribution to the Chapter 70 formula.
The school district may contribute matching funds from either a public or private source.
The sliding scale is found in Attachment A.

9. Fund Use 04

10. Fund Use
Approximately $1.7 million in matching state funds are available to help districts upgrade their digital infrastructure.
Cities and towns will be required to contribute between 30% and 70% on a sliding scale (30, 40, 50, 60, 70) based on their local contribution to the Chapter 70 formula.
The school district may contribute matching funds from either a public or private source.
The sliding scale is found in Attachment A.

11. Fund Use (continued)
Districts must agree to document all expenditures toward the local match and provide verification of these expenditures by June 30, 2019.
Districts must demonstrate that the local match expenditure supplements, and not supplants, any costs it would have incurred if it were not receiving state resources for infrastructure.
Districts are encouraged to provide documentation of local match expenditures to EOTSS on a rolling basis.
Examples of valid documentation include copies of executed work orders and invoices and receipts for products or services, typically from a third party.
Funds cannot be used to upgrade digital infrastructure in buildings that are scheduled for decommissioning or razing within 10 years from the completion of the project.
Data from the MSBA will be used to verify eligibility.
An example of supplanting is charging the salary of an in-district technology specialist or instructional coach to the local match, because that is their job function.
An example of supplementing is paying teachers stipends for PD, because in the absence of the digital infrastructure or devices, the PD would be irrelevant.
The local match only includes “new” costs

12. Project Timeline 05

13. Project Timeline
Nov 10, 2017
Applications due to ESE (completed & signed digitally)
Dec 2017
Scores shared with applicants
Dec-Jan 2018
Districts host vendor walkthroughs (post-RFQ release by EOTSS on CommBuys*
Feb 2018
Vendors submit bids to EOTSS**
EOTSS selects apparent winning bidder in consultant with the district in accordance with E-rate rules
Local match determined based on the infrastructure cost
Spring 2018
Required documentation (e.g., master agreement, letter of agency/authorization, etc.) due to EOTSS
Contracts between EOTSS & winning vendors due***
EOTSS files E-rate applications for all districts as a consortium
Grantees formally announced
Apr 1, 2018
Construction begins
Jun 30, 2018
Construction ends
Jun 30, 2019
Verification of local match expenditures due *
EOTSS posts the FCC Form 470 on the district’s behalf
The 2018 E-rate filing window not been announced. Reimbursements take approximately 18 months to be processed by USAC & will be returned to the district up to the local match amount.
Districts can remove themselves from consideration until EOTSS-vendor contracts are signed. **
***

14. FAQs 06

15. FAQs Q1: Do I have to complete a budget?
A1: No, because the state match for infrastructure will be funded by EOTSS and the local match (any combination of devices, assistive technology, professional development, or managed services) will be funded by the applicant.
Q2: What is my local match percentage?
A2: The local match is between 30-70% of the total project cost (and so is the state match). It is based on the Chapter 70 contribution of your city or town. This information is provided in Attachment A.

16. FAQs (continued) Q3: How is the local match calculated?
A3: Given the state match percentage, you can calculate the local match once you know the infrastructure cost (state match):
For example, let’s say the apparent winning bidder estimates that the wireless upgrade cost for your district is going to be $15,000. The state match is 70%. What’s the local match?
$15,000 is 70% of what number?
15,000 ÷ .70 = 21,428
______________________________________
The total project cost is $21,428 (100%)
The state match is $15,000 (70%)
The local match is $6,429 (30%)

17. FAQs (continued)
Q4: Can I calculate the local match before knowing the infrastructure cost?
A4: Not very accurately. One (extremely rough) way of estimating the infrastructure cost is to multiply the number of students in the building that needs an upgrade by $110.
Your building has 330 kids. The state match is 30%. What’s the local match?
330 * $110 = $36,300
$36,300 is 30% of what number?
36,300 ÷ .30 = 121,000
______________________________________
The total project cost is $121,000(100%)
The state match is $36,300 (30%)
The local match is $84,700 (70%)

18. FAQs (continued) Q5: When will I know the local match amount?
A5: EOTSS will provide you with the local match estimate based on the quote provided by the apparent winning bidder for your project, in January or February.
Q6: Does this grant fund devices?
A6: The theory of action underlying the grant is that if the state picks up the infrastructure costs, districts use those savings to invest in devices and other allowable expenditures. State funds can only be used for covering the infrastructure costs.

19. FAQs (continued)
Q7: What products and services count as “infrastructure?”
A7: In general, EOTSS uses USAC’s Eligible Services List (ESL) for Category 2 to determine the eligibility of products and services for the Digital Connections program. The 2017 version is available here. Some ancillary costs associated with Category 2 upgrades may also be covered by the state. In evaluating vendor bids, EOTSS staff will have a conversation with you about what the state will cover as part of the state match for infrastructure.
Q8: My district has already spent down most/all of its 5-year E-rate Category 2 budget for a school. Are we still eligible?
A8: As long as there is still “Category 2 eligible” work to be done in the school, you are welcome to apply for this grant. Schools with no Category 2 E-rate budget remaining will not receive a reimbursement from the E-rate program.

20. FAQs (continued)
Q9: What options do charter schools and educational collaboratives have if their facilities are not located on publicly-owned real property maintained for the benefit of the school district?
A9: MassDevelopment, an economic development and finance agency established by the Massachusetts Legislature, is able to offer charter school and nonprofit loan guarantees on bank loans or tax-exempt bonds for financing the acquisition, construction, or renovation of leased or owned facilities. Loans are also available to purchase and install technology equipment, of which 100% of the cost of purchase of new or used telecommunications and information technology equipment, software, and related installation costs may be eligible. To learn more, call or visit MassDevelopment website for a listing of regional offices (Boston, Devens, Fall River, Lawrence, Springfield, and Worcester).

21. Your Questions? 07

22. Office of Digital Learning
THANK YOU
Office of Digital Learning
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148
@MASchoolsK12
blog.mass.gov/odl
For project implementation inquiries, or