New Library Discount Calculation Method
Message Posted November 6, 2002
The FCC has just released a new way that libraries must calculate their discounts. Libraries: Don't get too excited, some may see a slight increase in their E-rate discount, and some will see a slight decrease in their discounts. The advantage is that it's a little easier to calculate than it was before.
Previously, an individual library site used the weighted average discount of the school district in which it was located.
Under the new rules and using the new 471, an individual library would take the straight average of NSLP eligibility from the district in which it is located (instead of using the weighted calculation) and find its discount straight from the discount matrix. Normally, it now gives libraries discounts in multiples of 10, rather than, say 48%, 62%, etc.
Example: Assume that the Dairy Queen Library is located in the Tritt-Schell School District and is in an Urban county. Assume the Tritt-Schell School District has 10,000 students and 1,000 of them are eligible for the National School Lunch Program (giving them a 10% eligibility rate). Using the E-rate discount matrix, we see that a 10% eligibility rate, gives the library a 40% E-rate discount.
What's the difference? The library no longer has to find out eligibility and enrollment for every single school building within that district.
Julie Tritt Schell
jtschell@comcast.net
(717) 730.7133 (voice)
(717) 730.9060 (fax)
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