Updated PDE Draft Enrollment/NSLP Data Released

January 7, 2025

Attached: Draft-NSLP-CEP-Enrollment-Data-Oct-2024-AMENDED-as-of-Jan7.xls

Attached is the updated draft enrollment/NSLP/CEP data that was submitted by LEAs for their October 2024 NSLP Claim.  It contains data for an additional 353 LEAs that were not included in the original draft sent to listserve on December 4 and any corrections made by LEAs through December 30, 2024. 

If you have not yet done so, you have until Thursday, January 9, 2025 to update your EPC profiles with your current enrollment and NSLP (or CEP%) data.  After that, the EPC profiles will be locked and the data cannot be updated.  Instructions on how to use this data and where to access your EPC profiles can be found in the original message below and in the helpful guide at:  Please see https://e-ratepa.org/?p=35803 for a guide and detailed information on updating discount data and providing updated (increased) district enrollment or library square footage data for FY 2025. 

A few important answers to questions I’ve received (with several new ones added since yesterday!):

  1. Do we have to update each school’s EPC profile annually?  Yes.  The only exception is if you conducted a family survey in which case you can rely on that data for 2 funding years.
  2. Does PDE or USAC automatically update our EPC profiles on our behalf?  No.  Schools must populate the EPC profiles themselves.  I understand it’s confusing when data is already there from last year, but that’s because the data isn’t wiped clean from the previous year.
  3. If our school doesn’t participate in NSLP, what data should we use for our EPC profiles?  If your school does not participate in the NSLP, the school still must be included in your EPC Portal and have enrollment and NSLP eligibility data entered.  
  4. We’re a CTC and our data is not on the spreadsheet; how should we obtain our NSLP eligibility data?  CTCs should reach out to their sending districts to ask which of their CTC students qualify for NSLP.  Then aggregate the data from all of your sending schools and enter the totals in EPC.  Be sure to keep careful written documentation of this correspondence.
  5. Are we required to update our Category 2 enrollment if we’re not applying for C2 funds in FY 2025?  No.
  6. Even if we’re not applying for C2 funding in FY 2025, can we update our Category 2 enrollment this year to lock in a higher C2 budget for the next C2 budget cycle?  No.  FY 2025 is the final year of the current C2 budget cycle.  All C2 enrollments will begin anew starting with the first year you apply for C2 in the upcoming C2 budget cycle.
  7. Update for schools with a CEP% below 40%:  USAC has added functionality in EPC to allow CEP % to be entered below 40%; therefore, you should not average your CEP% and enter the same CEP% for all schools has been eliminated.  If you have already used the average for all of your schools, please revise your data with accurate CEP% by Thursday.
  8. How to handle combined school PDE data:  If your PDE data is lumped together for 2 schools but broken out in EPC, you should obtain the breakdown from your food service director and enter it by school building in EPC.
  9. CEP LEAs with CEP Base Year 2021:  There are 15 LEAs that have 2021 as their CEP base year.  Please note that ‘2021’ is listed as your LEA’s CEP base year in the EPC portal, PIA will require you to provide evidence that your district intends to opt into CEP for the 2025 school year.  Be sure to have your Food Service Director update your LEA’s CEP participation for next year as soon as possible. 
  10. Schools that do not participate in NSLP:  If your school does not participate in the NSLP, the school still must be included in your EPC Portal and have enrollment and NSLP eligibility data entered.  If you do not have the NSLP data and cannot obtain student family income levels from other sources, you can list 0 and receive the minimum 20% E-rate discount for that school.
  11. Be sure to review schools and libraries in EPC Portal:  Review the entities in your EPC Portal and contact USAC at 888-203-8100 to have any new entities added, such as new schools, libraries, non-instructional facilities (NIFs), etc.  If school or library addresses have changed, you can make those modifications yourself in that school or library’s EPC page by January 9.
  12. Where should you update EPC Profiles?  You must access each school’s EPC Profile page to update this information.  There are two places to find a list of schools in EPC:  1) On the Landing Page (5 per page), or 2) on the Discount Rate Page (10 per page).  Personally, I recommend that you use the Discount Rate Page so you can then easily ensure that your totals are accurate, and determine the discount for FY 2025.  If you reference the “Guide to Entering Enrollment-NSLP in EPC” you will see screenshots of the EPC profile pages for both CEP schools and non-CEP schools.  The Guide also explains where to enter Category 2 Budget updates, and how to request a C2 Replacement Budget.  Use this Guide and you will succeed!
  13. Don’t forget:  Your EPC profiles must contain ALL of the buildings that are receiving E-rate discounted services, including your non-instructional facilities (NIFs), such as bus barns, administration buildings, etc.  If you have not yet added those NIF buildings into your EPC Portal, call USAC at 888-203-8100 and have them added.

Happy Updating!

— Julie

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

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