Updating Enrollment and NSLP Data in EPC – Or Not

December 17, 2021

Attached: PA Entity Data as of Dec 17 2021

Attached: Updating C2 Budgets and Enrollment-NSLP in EPC FY 2022

The “Administrative Window” is the 3-month timeframe before the Form 471 application window, during which time schools and libraries update their entities’ data in EPC.  Typically this week is when I send the draft enrollment and NSLP data to this listserve so they can update their EPC profiles for the upcoming funding year before the ‘Admin Window’ closes in early January.  This year, due to both the new Category 2 rules and the fact that most schools are again not operating NSLP programs this year because of the pandemic, the guidance is much different.  Please read this message carefully and decide if you need to take action in the next few weeks.

1. Discount Calculation Data Updates:  Applicants generally are required to update their enrollment and NSLP (or CEP%) each year.  However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that nearly all public schools are not operating the NSLP program this year (using SSO instead), USAC has announced that schools will be permitted to use enrollment and NSLP eligibility data from previously approved Funding Year (FY) 2020 or 2021 applications (that utilized data from fall 2019 and fall 2020) for the purpose of their FY 2022 applications.  This means that school applicants are not required to update their school profile information for FY 2022, but they may do so with current data if they so choose.  (The FY 2021 numbers are pre-populated in the school entity profiles and do not change unless the school overwrites these numbers with new data during the Administrative Window.)

My advice:  I expect most schools will “let their data ride” for FY 2022 and not make any changes.  However, if your E-rate discount will increase by using the most current data (Oct 2021) you should update the enrollment and NSLP data in EPC for each school before the close of the Admin Window (see attached Guide to walk through the steps.)  Want to know what is data currently is in EPC?  See # 3 below.

2. Category 2 Budget Enrollment Data Updates:  Applicants are permitted to use the same enrollment (schools) or square footage (libraries) data for the entire 5-year C2 budget cycle, or if enrollment increases, they may increase their C2 enrollment and request a Category 2 Replacement Budget (C2RB) with USAC.  Note:  There is a new Category 2 Replacement Budget process that was just announced by USAC.  Your C2 budget is determined by the first year you submit a C2 Form 471 in the budget cycle.

My advice:  If your organization will be requesting Category 2 funding for FY 2022, and if your enrollment (or library square footage) has increased, you will want to update the C2 budget enrollment data in EPC and then use the new C2RB procedure to request a Replacement C2 Budget (it doesn’t happen automatically – see attached Guide to explain this process).  If you’re not applying for Category 2 funding in FY 2022, or if your enrollment has decreased – do nothing, and you will retain the higher C2 budget.

3. Is Your Entity’s EPC Profile Up-to-Date?  Be sure to check that your organization’s EPC Profile is accurate.  To make this step as easy as possible, I’ve downloaded and attached the most recent PA entity database (accurate as of midnight last night), and narrowed, re-sorted and color-coded the fields.  To find the entities that relate to your organization, use the filter function to narrow your search.  If your EPC Account Administrator needs to be updated, or you need to add or remove a building, contact USAC at 888-203-8100.  To update addresses, enrollment data, NSLP (or CEP%), C2 enrollment data, or library square footage data, you can make those modifications in EPC (https://forms.universalservice.org/portal/login).

    • The columns in YELLOW relate to School Districts, Libraries, and Library Systems.  Filter by Column A, and you will see information related to each of your “child entities” in EPC and their related information.
    • Consortia, including Library Consortia, are shown on the second tab.
    • If your entity is a stand-alone school, such as an AVTS or non-public school, that is not connected to a “parent entity” in EPC, you will be able to find your information by filtering Column E “Entity Name.”
    • All data in the GREEN and ORANGE columns relate to building data, not ‘parent’ data.

If you have any questions about performing any of these tasks, or whether you should/shouldn’t update any of your data, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.

— Julie

Julie Tritt Schell
Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org

Site designed and maintained by Silver Penny Studio