$4.72 BILLION REQUESTED FOR E-RATE IN YEAR THREE
Message Posted February 2, 2000
The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service
Administrative Company (USAC) reported to the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) that $4.72 billion in requested funding has been estimated
for schools and libraries seeking E-rate discounts for Year 3. The
estimated demand represents more than the previous two years combined.
Of the 36,000 applications filed within the application filing window, which
closed January 19, 2000, more than 28,000, or nearly 80 percent, were
submitted electronically using USAC's SLD web site. Nearly 60 percent of
the requests are associated with the neediest schools and libraries: those
qualifying for program discounts of 80 to 90 percent. These schools and
libraries represent populations where 50 percent or more of students are
eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program. Demand in
Year 3 was calculated from a review of the 36,000 applications, versus
the method in previous years that involved a statistical representation
based upon a sample of the total applications.
In Year 1 of the Schools and Libraries program, more than 30,000
applications were filed for E-rate discounts requesting approximately $2.04
billion for 1998 (This equates to $2.302 billion for the extended program
period of 18 months). In year 2, with more than 32,000 applications,
demand was approximated at $2.4 billion. The FCC set the funding cap to the
full $2.25 billion in Year 2.
-- SLD
Julie L. Tritt
Executive Policy Specialist
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126
(717) 705-4486
(717) 787-7222 - fax
jtritt@state.pa.us
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