E-Rate Compliance and Funding

Purpose

These guidelines identify and address data and document requirements leading to the acquisition of all E-Rate funding available to Utah schools and libraries. Roughly two thirds of network funding for UEN, public schools, private schools, and public libraries in Utah is derived from E-Rate funds allocated through the federal Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Program. Eligibility for this funding is dependent upon student household income. These data are collected by schools participating in the Free or Reduced Lunch program (FRL). Incomplete FRL reporting reduces the E-Rate discount for Utah. This policy requires schools with no FRL program that do not report household income data to pay full circuit charges and other fees that are subject to the E-Rate discount.

Definitions

E-Rate: the service support mechanism of Schools and Libraries Universal Service.

Letter of Agency (LOA): a document required from every district, charter school, private school, and library included on UEN’s E-Rate applications. These must be maintained in files for a minimum of five years.

Technology Plans: describe how institutions will use and manage telecommunications and information technology. UEN is required to obtain both a written copy and a certification of USAC approval of the technology plan. Technology plans must include:

• Goals and realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology
• A professional development strategy
• An assessment of telecommunications services, hardware, software and other services needed
• Budget resources
• Ongoing evaluation process

Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC): the administrator of all Universal Service programs under authority of the FCC.

Guidelines

1. Schools designated by the Utah legislature as being within UEN’s service mandate must provide the following documentation to UEN for each E-Rate funding year:
• E-Rate Letter of Agency—showing “knowingness” that an entity is part of the UEN E-Rate consortium for each E-Rate funding year.
• Technology Plan—showing appropriate dates and the five required elements of the plan.
• Annual student enrollment and Free or Reduced Lunch Program eligibility.
• Participation is measured by Child Nutrition Program applications. In lieu of FRLP data, school district administrators and charter school administrators must collect and report enrollment and income data for their students’ households.
2. In the absence of the required documentation, UEN administration may remove non-compliant members and the associated costs for services from UEN E-Rate applications for the relevant funding year and “pass through” the undiscounted costs to the non-compliant entity.

Revision Notes:
Ver. 1 - November 15, 2008
Ver. 2 – December 12, 2012
Ver. 3 – May 9, 2014