NCES Codes
Beginning with Year 8 (Funding Year 2005), the SLD is requiring that each entity listed in a Block 4 (the discount calculation section), have an NCES code.
This number is assigned by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to every school (public and nonpublic) and every library (normally called FSCS codes). These are NOT new numbers and CANNOT be obtained if you don’t have one.
To search for a school or library’s NCES code, go to:
http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/
Also, a list of most library FSCS codes can be found at:
http://www.statelibrary.state.pa.us/libraries/lib/libraries/2004FSCSIDnumbers.xls
A few important points regarding NCES codes:
1) If you go to these links and can’t find your NCES code, leave that item blank on your Form 471 E-rate application. A warning box may pop-up, but just click OK and proceed.
2) The SLD has attempted to pre-populate your Block 4 entries with appropriate NCES codes obtained from the US Dept. of Education. If your code appears and is wrong, please change it. If it is blank, you should fill it in if you have the NCES code for that building.
3) The Block 4 is tricky. It asks for the NCES codes in three boxes:
State District Building . The system will accept 2 digits for State, 5 digits for District, and 5 Digits for Building. The system will accept both letters and numbers, but not dashes. When the data is entered into the SLD’s databases, all of the digits entered in these 3 boxes will be combined. So for example if you list 42 1234 12345, the following will be entered into the SLD’s database: 42123412345. Therefore it is important that you NOT enter extra zeros into a box in order to create 5 digits.
4) For public schools, the information posted on the NCES Search website shows the NCES District ID, and then the NCES School ID. The SLD is asking for the NCES School ID (which incorporates the District ID).
Below is an example of an NCES School ID and what you should post in Block 4:
NCES School ID example: 421158001762
Enter in Form 471, Block 4: 42 (State) 11580 (District) 01762 (Building)
5) For nonpublic schools, the NCES code will be a shorter number and typically will not have the two-digit state code. In that case, you should list your info in Block 4 like this: K9 30526 2. It seems odd that you would not enter PA or 42 in the State field, but according to the SLD, they don’t want you to add any digits that aren’t in your NCES code.
6) For libraries, the information posted on PDE’s website contains 2 columns, entitled: FSCSKEY and LIBID. Important: Use the LIBID as your NCES (FSCS) code. Below is an example of what’s in the library NCES (FSCS) spreadsheet vs. what you should post in Block 4:
LIBID
PA0176002
Enter in Block 4: PA (State) 01760 (District) 02 (Building)
FSCS Codes for Libraries also can be found using the NCES Search tool at: http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/