iNACOL 2013-08-20 ConnectED and E-Rate NPRM Q&A

ConnectEd and the E-rate Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Q&A with FCC and EDLisa Hone, FCCRichard Culatta, US Department of EducationSusan Patrick, iNACOLPeter Zamora, Council of Chief State School

OfficersAugust 20, 2013, 4-5 pm ET

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Welcome & Introductions

Susan PatrickPresident & CEO, iNACOL

iNACOL/CCSSO E-rate Webinars: to empower & inform education

advocatesJuly 25

• E-rate 101: Basics for Education Advocates

August 6

• E-rate 2.0: Defining Drivers and Capacity Needs

Today

• ConnectED and E-rate: Q&A with FCC and ED officials

Past webinars archived at: http://www.inacol.org/resources/inacol-webinars/

• New Learning Models• Quality Assurance• Policy

Top Policy Issue: Ensure Full Access to Broadband Internet InfrastructureBuild out broadband connectivity with needs of digital content resources, and online assessments to enable student-centered, personalized, blended and online learning – accessible anytime, anywhere at school and at home.

iNACOL Priorities

Richard CulattaDirector, Office of Educational Technology, US Department of Education

Peter ZamoraDirector of Government Affairs, CCSSO

Lisa HoneDeputy Division Chief, Telecom-munications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission

Panelists

Susan PatrickPresident and CEO, iNACOL

Questions for the panelists?

• Type them into the chat box to the right• We will queue up questions to ask

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Peter ZamoraDirector of Federal PolicyCouncil of Chief State School Officers

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Richard CulattaDirectorOffice of Educational TechnologyUS Department of Education

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Lisa HoneDeputy Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division,Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission

E-rate NPRMAugust 20, 2013

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E-Rate Background

• Created by Congress in the 1996 Telecommunications Act- Commission implementation in 1997- First funding year in 1998

• Schools and libraries must seek competitive bids for services to be provided

• Funding year runs from July 1 to June 30

• Schools and libraries must apply to the program every year

• Application window closes in March

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E-Rate Prioritization

• Eligible K-12 schools and libraries apply for discounts on:- telecommunications services and telecommunications

- Internet access

- internal connections

- basic maintenance of internal connections

• FCC rules require funding of telecommunications and Internet access (priority 1) before internal connections and basic maintenance of internal connections (priority 2)

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E-Rate Discount Matrix

• Applicant discounts for eligible services range from 20% to 90% depending on poverty and geographic location

Percentage of Students Eligible for Free/Reduced

Lunch

Discount for Urban Schools and Libraries

Discount for Rural Schools and Libraries

Less than 1% 20 25

1% to 19% 40 50

20% to 34% 50 60

35% to 49% 60 70

50% to 74% 80 80

75% to 100% 90 90

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E-Rate Numbers

• E-rate program is capped by FCC rules at $2.25 billion per year plus an annual inflation adjustment- 2013 cap is $2.38 billion

• 25,600 applicants in funding year 2012- Representing 127,500 schools and libraries

- More than half of the applicants are school districts

• USAC received almost 47,000 applications

• More than 4,100 service providers participate

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E-Rate Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)

• The FCC adopted an NPRM on Friday July 19, 2013

• Released on July 23, 2013, available on the FCC’s website at: http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0723/FCC-13-100A1.pdf

• 3 Proposed Goals

(1) Ensuring schools and libraries have affordable access to 21st Century broadband that supports digital learning

(2) Maximizing the cost effectiveness of E-rate funds

(3) Streamlining the administration of the E-rate program

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E-Rate NPRM Next Steps

• Input from stakeholders is crucial- Comments due September 15, 2013

- Reply comments due October 16, 2013

- Ex parte presentations must be disclosed in the record

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Questions & Answers

Please type questions in the chat box on the left of the screen

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Thank you!Follow up questions about this webinar?

Contact:

Maria Worthen

Vice President for Federal & State Policy, iNACOL

[email protected]