Call for Additional eRate Funding

CEO Brian Lewis of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is asking us to step forward to help improve the eRate program by calling for increased funding. Until September 16^th, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) will accept comments on eRate. At this time, according to Lewis, current funding does not meet applicant demand. ISTE members and all educators are asked to let the FCC know how important digital learning is for students. A form ready for your comments is available on the link above. In addition to a call for funding, perhaps a call for less complicated forms and quicker responses after form submission should be included?

eRate Filing Survival Kit

Free eRate Filing Window Survival Kits are available from Funds for Learning. The Kits are intended to “help reduce the stress E-rate applicants often experience.” Included in the Kits are stress-reducing goodies to help you get through the forms. If you’d like to sign up for a kit, go to Funds for Learning and click on Keep Calm and File On.

Funds for Learning has also announced a redesign of its Website, which will enable users easier navigation to news, updates, funding request information, and guidance in filling out appropriate forms.

Having Trouble Understanding eRate?

Schools and Libraries offers a Training Site where you can learn more about correctly completing forms required for eRate funding. Training includes FCC Forms 470, 470 Interview, 471 with online Item 21 attachments, 471 Interview with online Item 21 attachments, 486, and 486 Interview. Remember that if you are interested in going through the training, you’ll need to, as with all eRate forms, use Internet Explorer 6 and above as your browser. According to Schools and Libraries, other browsers may result in errors. In addition to the Training Site, for problems, you can check Tips and Troubleshooting, find detailed instructions for each form, submit a question or call the service line (1-888-203-8100).

eRate Survival Guide

The eRate window for 2013 funding is just around the corner, and the folks at eSchool News want to help you take advantage of this funding opportunity without pulling out your hair. Using what’s covered in the current eRate training sessions, the eSchool News staff tackled such eRate myths as: you need a tech plan to apply (Answer: It depends); you can offer Internet access to students and staff at home (Answer: No); you should apply for Priority 1 services (Internet and telephone) on the same form that you apply for Priority 2 services (internal connections) (Answer: No); and if there is only one service provider in your region, you don’t need to worry about the competitive bidding process (Answer: No). See what eSchool News has to say about these and other myths and, while you are on the eSchool News site, learn about how to survive an eRate audit.

eRate Funding Year 2013

If you are the eRate person in your school or district, it’s time to put together those 470s again.  This form describes services requested and lets companies know what you are looking for in Internet and telephone services and equipment. Funds for Learning, an eRate guide and manager service, tells us that the FY2013 draft list of eligible services and products doesn’t differ much from FY2012, but changes may still be made.

USAC—eRate News

For those of you who have been waiting on funding decisions by USAC (Universal Service Administrative Company), the School and Libraries News Brief of 12/09/11 announced that for the Funding Year 2011, decision letters for Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance at 90% will be going out beginning 12/13/11.   Funding letters for the year 2010 for Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance at all levels will be going out beginning 12/14/11.  Don’t forget, even if you haven’t received your commitment letter for this school year, you’ll need to get started on completing your 470 Form for year 2012. The funding letters are slower to come out this year because the deadline for the 471 forms was in March and because there was a need to recheck applications from the 2010 year for Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance. If you’d like to subscribe to the Schools and Libraries News Briefs, just enter your email address on the USAC site.