Language Arts Common Goals K5

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• 2006

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HISTORY

• Schools and Libraries Support Mechanism started
  providing discounts as of January 1, 1998
• Telecommunications Act of 1996
• Congress directed the FCC to establish
  competitively neutral rules . . . to enhance, to
  the extent technically feasible and economically
  reasonable, access to advance telecommunications
  and information services for all public and
  non-profit elementary and secondary school
  classrooms . . . and libraries.
• First Report and Order (FCC 97-157)

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Where does e-rate money come from?
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Who Administers E-rate?

• FCC
• Federal Communications Commission
• Creates program rules and sets policy
• USAC
• Universal Services Administrative Company
• Created by FCC to run E-rate and other universal
  service programs
• Schools and Libraries Division (SLD)
• Entity within USAC that runs the E-rate Program
• Interprets FCC policy - Makes no policy decisions
• http//www.universalservice.org/sl/
• http//www.universalservice.org/default.aspx

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INTRODUCTION

• Schools and Libraries Program
• Provides discounts to eligible schools and
  libraries for Telecommunications Services,
  Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic
  Maintenance
• Applicants can be schools, libraries, or
  consortia, but only eligible recipients of
  service can receive discounts
• Applicants must apply for discounts each year
  (Form 471 application filing window)
• Funding cap each year is 2.25 billion
• One of four programs in the Universal Service
  governed by the Federal Communications Commission

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• Step 1 Determine Eligibility
• Step 2 Develop a Technology Plan
• Step 3 Open a Competitive Bidding Process
• Step 4 Select a Service Provider
• Step 5 Calculate the Discount Level
• Step 6 Determine Your Eligible Services
• Step 7 Submit Your Application
• Step 8 Undergo Application Review (PIA SR)
• Step 9 Receive Your Funding Decision (FCDL)
• Step 10 Begin Receipt of Services
• Step 11 Invoice USAC
• Step 12 Audits Compliance Reviews

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OVERVIEW

• Application process
• Eligibility
• Technology planning
• Competitive bidding / Form 470
• Calculating discounts
• Funding requests / Form 471
• Application review / Funding commitments
• Starting services / Form 486
• Invoicing USAC / Form 472 or Form 474

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Established by the FCC in June 1998 for use when
  demand for E-rate discounts exceeds available
  funding
• PRIORITY ONE Telecommunications Services and
  Internet Access
• All approved funding requests will be funded at
  all discount levels if funds are available
• PRIORITY TWO Internal Connections
• Internal Connections - Funded twice in a five
  year period
• Internal Connections - Basic Maintenance
• Funds go first to neediest applicants (90
  discount level), then to others in order of
  discount until funds are exhausted

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ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• Eligible Entities--Schools
• Schools must meet the statutory definition of an
  elementary or secondary school found in the
  Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
• Must not operate as a for-profit business and
  have an endowment exceeding 50 million

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ELIGIBILITY

• Examples of Non-instructional Facilities (NIFs)
  that can receive Priority 1 services

• LIBRARIES
• Administrative buildings
• Bookmobile garages
• Interlibrary loan facilities
• Library technology centers

• SCHOOLS
• Administrative buildings
• School bus barns and garages
• Cafeteria offices
• Facilities associated with athletic activities

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ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• Consortium (NC Statewide Discount Rate is 62)
• Of Eligible Schools and/or Libraries
• Of Eligible and Ineligible Entities
• Ineligible Entities would pay the lower
  pre-discount prices
• Only Eligible Schools and Libraries would receive
  the added benefit of universal service discount
  mechanisms

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(NCIH) Consortium (NC Statewide Discount Rate
is 62) North Carolina Information Highway 75
- K-12 Sites Funded NC ITS Managed/Supported 29
Network Providers for 115 LEAs
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ELIGIBLE PURPOSE

• Educational purpose is defined as
• The primary purpose of the services for which
  support is sought must be the delivery of
  services into classrooms or other places of
  instruction at schools and libraries that meet
  the statutory definition of an eligible
  institution. Support for the administrative
  functions of a library or education program is
  permitted so long as the services are part of the
  network of shared services for learning.
  Universal service support will be limited to
  services delivered to the onsite educational
  facility or facilities. Services at a personal
  residence or at locations that do not host places
  of instruction or are not accessible to library
  patrons, with the exception of a centralized
  district office or similar facility, are not
  eligible for support.

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ELIGIBLE SERVICES

• Priority 1 funded first
• Telecommunications Services
• Basic telephone service wire line or wireless
  phone service (local, cellular/PCS, and/or long
  distance)
• Voice mail
• Transmission services (T-1, DSL)
• Internet Access
• Basic conduit access to the Internet
• VoIP Services

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ELIGIBLE SERVICES

• Priority 2 (2005 81, waiting on 80 Schools)
• Internal Connections (switches, hubs, routers,
  wiring)
• Basic Maintenance on Internal Connections
• Internal Connections funded in only two out of
  five funding years.
• Priority 1 funded first, then Priority 2 begins
  with neediest applicants (90 first, then 89,
  88, etc.).

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ELIGIBILITY

• Educational Purposes Priority 1
• Wireless Telecommunications Services used offsite
  may be eligible. For example,
• School bus drivers delivering children to and
  from school
• Library staff providing library services on a
  librarys mobile library unit van
• Teachers or other school staff accompanying
  students on a field trip or sporting event.

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ELIGIBILITY

• Educational Purposes Priority 2
• Priority 2 services to NIFs are NOT eligible
  unless those internal connections are essential
  for the effective transport of information to an
  instructional building of a school or to a
  non-administrative building of a library.

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ELIGIBLE SERVICES

• No end user equipment (phones, fax machines)
• Telecommunications Services
• Basic Telecommunications Services (local long
  distance voice services)
• Advanced Telecommunications Services (T-1, ATM,
  Frame Relay, etc.)
• See eligible services list for more detail

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ELIGIBLE SERVICES

• Internet Access Services
• Special Rules regarding Internet Content
• Generally no content supported
• Bundled must show that approach is most
  cost-effective
• See eligible services presentation and list for
  more detail

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ELIGIBLE SERVICES

• Internal Connections
• Wiring
• Routers
• Switches
• Network servers (WEB E-Mail)
• System software
• Wireless LANs
• Private branch exchange (PBX)
• Video CODECs
• VoIP Equipment (not phone sets)
• Internal Connections Basic Maintenance

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ESTABLISHING DISCOUNT

• National School Lunch Program Eligibility
• Information needed for each school
• Usually available at school district level OR
  from state
• Libraries use data from local school district(s)
  in which they are located

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ESTABLISHING DISCOUNT

• Officially sanctioned measures exist for
  alternative methods of determining poverty
  levels.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Need-based tuition assistance programs that rely
  on family income data comparable to NSLP
• Medicaid
• Food stamps
• Supplementary Security Income
• Federal public housing assistance (Section 8)
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• New Surveys

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ESTABLISHING DISCOUNT
1026 lt 50 1231 gt 50 2257 LEAs
http//www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step
05/discount-matrix.aspx
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ESTABLISHING DISCOUNT
Rural Status
http//www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step
05/urban-rural/default.aspx
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TECHNOLOGY PLAN

• Five SLD technology plan criteria
• Goals and Objectives
• Professional Development
• Needs Assessment
• Budget
• Evaluation
• Vendors cannot write or approve technology plans
• No Tech plan required for basic telephone
  services
• Tech plans approved for no more than 3 years
• Plans must be started before filing and approved
  before start of service

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TECHNOLOGY PLAN
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BID EVALUATION
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CIPA

• Schools and libraries
• Must hold a public hearing and then adopt
  Internet Safety Policy that addresses specified
  issues
• Schools
• Must operate a technology protection measure on
  computers that access the Internet
• Must block or filter visual depictions that are
  obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors
• Filtering software, per-se, not eligible for
  support

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STARTING SERVICES

• Obligation to Pay Non-discount Share
• Applicants are required to pay their share of the
  cost (the non-discount portion or share) this
  share cannot be donated, forgiven or ignored by
  the vender.
• Service providers cannot waive or credit the
  applicants share.
• Offers to reduce price must be incorporated into
  the total pre-discount amount.
• Service provider must bill the applicant for
  non-discount share of services.

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• E-RATE
• In
• North Carolina
• What are we going to do?

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• Connectivity is Essential
• Instructional Applications Research
• 21st Century Skills, New High Schools, Virtual
  School, etc.
• ILS, IMS, etc.
• Curriculum Content area
• Lesson Plans
• Multi Media, On-line Learning, Distance Learning
• NC WiseOwl
• On-Line Testing
• Many others
• Administrative
• NC WISE, CECAS
• Physical plant devices
• Security
• Finance, Purchasing, e-Procurement
• Others

WHY?
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• Maintain internal DPI working group
• Support from Financial Services
• Instructional Technology regional consultants
• Support person from Deputies office
• Infrastructure consultant from technology area
• Advisor from ITS
• DPI Communications Support
• WEB
• List Serve
• Meeting agendas
• Direct Communications
• Meeting Opportunities
• Etc.
• Similar LEA E-Rate Team Proposed

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• Communication
• WEB
• Email ListServ
• Phone
• Visits
• Regional meetings
• Support
• Trainings, Video Conf.
• Liaison with SLD Venders
• Consulting
• Reporting of Data
• Participation in SECA

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• Provide Just in Time Training Opportunities
• SLD Workshop
• State Workshops
• Regional Meetings
• Leadership Sessions
• Provide Support and Liaison services
• Telephone
• e-Mail
• LEA visits
• State-wide meetings
• Technical Consulting for Infrastructure

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• Timelines are often short
• 470 / 471 Window (28 day 470)
• This year November 14, 2006 to February 7, 2007
• Rules change often right before filing period
  opens

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Q A
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Contact Info

• Benny E. Hendrix
• E-Rate / School Connectivity
• State Education E-Rate Coordinator
• NC Dept. of Public Instruction
• Educ. Bldg., Rm. 5079
• 301 N. Wilmington St.
• Raleigh, NC 27601-2825
• 6364 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6364
• Office 919-807-3422
• Cell 919-306-6013
• Fax [phone]
• PDF/Fax [phone]
• email bhendrix_at_dpi.state.nc.us
• WEB http//www.ncwiseowl.org/erate

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• SLD - Schools and Libraries Division of Universal
  Services Administration Company
• USAC - Universal Services Administration Company
• SECA State E-Rate Coordinators Alliance in US
• LEA- Local Education Agency (Authority)
• PIA Program Integrity Assurance by SLD
• SR Selective Review by SLD
• MCNC Microcomputer Center of NC (also known as
  NCREN NC Research and Education Network)
• e-NC Rural Internet Access Authority at the NC
  Rural Center Jane Smith Patterson and team