1. School Connectivity: E-Rate Services Team
E-Rate Modernization and School Connectivity - for Local Education Agencies
School Connectivity:
E-Rate Services Team

2. What?
…provides discounts of up to 90 percent to help eligible schools and libraries in the United States obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access.
What is E-rate?

3. Why? Digital Teaching and Learning Legislation Plan Infrastructure
E-rate
Discuss DTL plan and how it interfaces with Infrastructure (SCI)

4. Who? Tech Director/CTO YOU Board of Education DPI Resources Vendor(s)
Roles of each of the Charter and responsibilities

5. School Connectivity Initiative
How?
School Connectivity Initiative

6. SCI NC Department of Public Instruction e-NC Authority
NC. Office of Information Technology Services
Friday Institute
MCNC
SCI history and the objectives of SCI

7. SCI Expand the number of schools with broadband Internet access
Further develop communication networks for rural and underperforming schools
Aid in professional development
Develop a scalable model to maintain and enhance network services to all schools in North Carolina. 
E-Rate makes it possible for SCI to leverage state and local funding

8. “High-speed broadband connections to schools and advanced Wi-Fi inside classrooms have become essential tools for teachers and students. A major conclusion of the FCC's recent modernization of the E-rate program is that local jurisdictions benefit substantially from state-level assistance in the design, procurement, and ongoing support of this complex communications infrastructure. In our nationwide review of state approaches, we found North Carolina's model to be one of the most effective in the country. State-level support in North Carolina not only with matching financial resources but also purchasing and technical expertise from a dedicated professional staff at the state level has had a major positive impact for schools across North Carolina that stands out as a leading national example.”
Jon Wilkins
Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
Former Managing Director
Federal Communications Commission
NC is a ROLE MODEL for other states in school connectivity

9. Voice If your discount is… Then your voice discount will be: FY 2015
20%
No Funding
25% 5%
40%
50%
30%
10%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Ramping down of funding for voice services – and how charters need to plan ahead to meet funding needs

10. Internet Category 1 – Internet NCREN managed by MCNC State network
Free, high speed
Free content filtering and firewall
Charter schools may file for WAN
Funding from DPI through PRC 036 for Charters
Category 1 – NCREN and LEA WAN – PRC 073 for LEA’s and PRC 036 for Charters

11. NCREN

12. Category 2 – Internal Connections
State Contracts
E-rate and SCI funds
Allocation per ADM
5 years
PRC 036
Category 2 planning – budgets and State Contracts

13. Filing for E-rate
E-Rate Process

14. Procurement Records retention Procurement policies (state and local)
Competitive Bidding
Cost Effective
Fair and Open
Gift Rule
Purchasing policies

15. Procurement Form 470/RFP Wait 28 days Public opening
Evaluate with matrix
Price #1
State and local policies
Board approval, etc.
E-Rate rules for procurement – fair and cost effective

16. Bid Evaluation
Sample bid evaluation matrix

17. Billing Methods BEAR Or SPI BILLING
BEAR or SPI – choosing discounted billing or paying in full and billing USAC for the discount -

18. BEAR Pay in full Reconciliation spreadsheet File 498 for reimbursement
Obtain PIN from CSB
File BEAR (Form 472)
BEAR method

19. SPI Billing Pay only your discounted portion to service provider
SP “bills” USAC for other portion
No forms to file
How to select this method?
SPI billing

20. Direct Deposit! Form 472 (BEAR) CFO must have a role in EPC
Reimbursements direct deposited to the applicant’s bank account
CFO must have a role in EPC
Form 498
completed by “School or Library Official”
Communication is paramount!
Filing Form 498

21. Data Needed Banking Information DUNS Bank Name Bank Routing Number
Bank Account Number
DUNS
Dunn and Bradstreet Number
Form 498 continued

22. 498 Verification Bank verification Send to Voided check
Information on bank letterhead
Send to

23. Support
Jeannene
Roxie
Rebecca

24. Questions?