Back to School E-rate Update 2011
August 18, 2011
Happy Back-To-School, E-raters! I wanted to take this opportunity to
provide you with an E-rate update on several pending issues:
CIPA Order - The FCC's long-awaited CIPA Order was released last week, requiring schools to update their Internet Safety Policies (if they haven't done so already), to include provisions to educate minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response. The policies must be updated before July 1, 2012 and the online safety/cyberbullying education of students must be in place for the 2012 school year. For a complete FAQ, see:
http://e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2011/08-15-11_2.html.
Funding Cap Increased - Last year the FCC adopted a rule to annually adjust the E-rate cap for inflation. The FY 2011 increase is .9%, bringing the USF cap to $2,290,682,250.
SECA Files Applicant Bill of Rights Paper with FCC - On August 1, 2011, the State E-rate Coordinators Alliance (SECA) filed an ex parte with the FCC regarding the problem of applications that remain in a pending state for an extended period of time -- deemed the "Blackhole." SECA proposes a Bill of Rights for E-rate applicants and service providers, which would provide, among other items, the right to "expect timely decisions on funding requests," and recommendations to revise the anonymous Code 9 "whistleblower" process and recovery of previously disbursed funds in cases where no criminal intent is discovered. The ex parte is available at:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021699729.
FY 2010 80% Funding Update - In mid-July, USAC sent a letter to the FCC indicating that they had identified reserve funding that was sufficient enough to fully fund the 80% Priority 2 Requests for FY 2010. We expect the FCC to formally announce the availability of this funding in the next week or so which will begin the process for USAC to mail the FY 2010, P2 80% funding commitment decision letters. PIA reviews are actively underway on those applications.
FY 2010 BEAR Reimbursement Reminder - For those applicants that did NOT receive discounted bills during FY 2010, the deadline to submit the Form 472 BEAR to collect reimbursement funding is October 28, 2011. Information on filing the BEAR is available at:
http://e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2011/06-29-11.html. Specific information for filing the Online BEAR is available at:
http://e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2011/06-30-11.html. A message will be sent to the listserve in October listing those entities that still have funding remaining.
FY 2011 Funding Update - The FY 2011 funding waves are up to wave 9 and so far, Pennsylvania schools and libraries have received approx. $26.5 million in funding commitments. The funding commitments have been much slower than normal this year due to some pending internal USAC policy decisions and because the first wave didn't begin until the end of June -- just when PIA reviewers and applicants began taking vacations. If you haven't yet been funded, don't worry; there will be many, many more waves to come. If you have been funded, don't forget to file the Form 486 to turn-on funding (specific list of late filers will be sent in October). Priority 2 applications are not yet being funded, pending the FCC's announcement on the amount of roll-over funding that will be available.
FY 2012 Update - The FY 2012 Form 470 is now available and ready for use!
Although the Form 471 application window dates have not yet been set, it's not too early to begin the competitive bidding process for your E-rate eligible services by posting a Form 470. A separate, detailed message will be sent about how to file the Form 470 (and if you're unsure how to complete this form, I encourage you to file after you've been to Beginners'
Training). Don't forget, if you are applying for E-rate on Priority 2 services/equipment, you must have a written, dated technology plan prepared before you can file the Form 470 (the plan does not need to be approved until July 1).
E-rate Beginners and Advanced Training - Watch for training dates and locations to be announced in the next day!
Community Use - Beginning February 2010, the FCC began allowing schools to open their E-rate-discounted services for community use after school hours.
I know that many of you are taking advantage of this new rule by providing evening adult education classes, community computer lab nights, videoconferencing usage, etc. and the FCC wants to know about it! Please take a minute and go to this special page on the FCC's website to describe how you are allowing AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS usage of your E-rate-funded
services:
http://transition.fcc.gov/bureaus/wcb/tapd/universal_service/schools-librari
es-form.html. I emphasize after-school hour usage because all usage during school hours MUST be for K-12 educational purposes only.
If you have any questions regarding these items or anything else related to E-rate, please don't hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.
Julie Tritt Schell
PA E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 - o
717-730-9060 - f
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org
Penn*link
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