FFL News

Funds For Learning has submitted comments on the Funding Year 2011 Draft Eligible Services List (ESL). Under the proposed changes issued by USAC and the FCC, software applications for mobile devices, web hosting, anti-virus, Firewalls priced separately from a vendor’s Internet Access service, and unbundled warranties would be designated as ineligible.

On May 20, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on several proposals that could change current E-rate processes. As a result, Funds For Learning has submitted comments on the FCC’s proposals concerning the regulatory structure of the E-rate program.

Funds For Learning is pleased to announce the latest release of the award-winning E-rate Manager™. The updated version offers improved features to enhance the user experience, including a redesigned interface that allows easier and more efficient access to critical E-rate data, reports and compliance tools.

Funds For Learning has submitted comments to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding updating E-rate program compliance measures related to the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.

On November 3rd, the FCC released a Broadband Notice of Inquiry as it relates to education and the E-rate program.  In 2010, the FCC must submit a National Broadband Plan to Congress.  As a part of the preparation of the National Broadband Plan, the FCC has asked stakeholders to comment and provide feedback on many aspects of the plan.  Funds For Learning’s comments centered primarily on three aspects of the E-rate program:  clarifying the FCC’s definition of "eligible purposes" to include the activity of any person(s) on school property, adjusting the discount matrix to

According to an analysis by Funds For Learning, there is over $250 million in committed Internal Connections funding with an installation deadline of September 30, 2008. These commitments date back as far as Funding Year 2003.

Funds For Learning has submitted the following comments to the Federal Communications Commission in response to the Commission's request for comments to their recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to the E-rate program.

Before the

In response to the Draft Eligible Services List, or ESL, issued by USAC and the FCC, Funds For Learning has issued comments on the FCC's website. Parties wishing to reply to Funds For Learning's comments, or the comments of others, must submit their replies to the FCC by August 21, 2008. To read Funds For Learning's comments, click the "Read More" link below.

Funds For Learning and eSchool News surveyed more than 700 E-rate applicants on their thoughts and opinions about the E-rate program. The results of the survey are available now in the June issue of eSchool News.

On April 3, 2008, Funds For Learning issued the following statement to USAC regarding its contract with SAIC. The message was sent to the SLD’s ombudsman Robert Spiller.

Funds For Learning and eSchool News are leading a survey to measure applicants' attitudes and opinions about the E-rate program, identify the program's key strengths and challenges. The survey consists of 24 questions should take about 15 minutes to complete.

Funds for Learning has filed comments to the Eligible Services List for Funding Year 2008. Each year the SLD submits a draft list for the FCC to review and then issues the list for stakeholders to comment. Once the FCC reviews comments and publishes the final Eligible Services List then USAC can open the Form 471 filing window 60 days from that release.

Simba Information's Electronic Education Report interviewed Peter Kaplan, Funds For Learning's Director of Regulatory Affairs, for its May 2007 Edition.

The Funding Year 2007 Form 471 filing window has closed and as of today the demand is $2,886,184,504.  This will no doubt climb over the coming weeks as the remaining Form 471s are added to the SLD’s Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).  Close to $1.5 billion is already tied to priority two requests (internal connections and basic maintenance).  In FY 2006 applicants requested approximately $1.9 billion in priority two requests.

Each year E-rate applicants post their Form 470s to the SLD website and forget that the Form 470 needs to be certified or any project tied to that Form 470 will be denied.  Over $12.1 million in Funding Year 2005 and $3.8 million so far in Funding Year 2006 has been denied because applicants failed to certify their Form 470.  Form 470s will need to be certified before 11:59 EST on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 in order to be in compliance for Funding Year 2007.

Funding Year 2007 Form 471s are now available in E-rate Manager.  Applicants have requested approximately $71 million to date.  Historically $3.5 to $4 billion is requested annually which means that over the next few weeks the vast majority of Form 471s will be submitted to the SLD.

On May 19, 2006, the FCC released the Bishop Perry Order.  The Bishop Perry Order grouped together 196 applicant appeals which had been filed with the FCC and as a group they were remanded back to USAC. This group of 196 included funding years from 1999 thru 2006 and dealt with a wide variety of issues.  The FCC gave USAC 60 days to contact the 196 applicants and give those applicants a chance to correct errors found in their applications.  Because USAC is giving preference to these 196 applicants, here is an update on the progress of those 196 applicant’s funding requests.

Funds For Learning has filed a response to the USAC Draft E-rate Eligible Services List for Funding Year 2007.

More than 1,000 Form 470 applications were posted to the Schools and Libraries Division's website on January 19, which was the last effective date to post a Form 470 for Funding Year 2006 requests for E-rate discounts. Applicants posting a Form 470 application must accept bids from potential service providers for at least 28 days before choosing a vendor and formalizing service agreements. Additionally, those who posted a Form 470 on January 19 must also complete, submit, and certify their Form 471 application for discounts on the day that they must be submitted to the SLD.

Peter Kaplan, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Funds For Learning, has authored an article for the eSchool News 2006 E-rate Survival Guide. The E-rate Survival Guide presents valuable information and resources to aid applicants in the 2006 Funding Year of the federal E-rate program.

Schools and libraries posted 1,200 Form 470 applications January 19, the second-to-last day in which an application could be posted and still leave enough time for the requisite 28-day posting period before the close of the filing window for the 2005 funding year.

E-rate applicants are reminded that January 20 is the last possible date that a Form 470 application can be posted for the 2005 E-rate funding year and still leave enough time for the requisite 28-day posting period before the Form 471 application deadline at 11:59 E.S.T. on February 17, 2005.

As the midpoint of the 2004 E-rate funding year approaches, schools and libraries are still awaiting word on the status of more than $3.3 billion worth of E-rate funding requests for that year.

Funds For Learning March 11 submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission in response to its Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the E-rate program.

Funds For Learning commends the Federal Communications Commission for accepting its recommendation that undisbursed E-rate funds be rolled over for the 2003 funding year instead of waiting to 2004, as the FCC originally proposed.

10/22/2003 - Funds For Learning's unique E-rate search tool for the newly revised Eligible Services List (ESL) is now online for the E-rate community to use, free-of-charge. The ESL is updated annually and parts of it sometimes are revised.

Funds For Learning, LLC, has filed Reply Comments as part of the Federal Communications Commission's ongoing Notice of Proposed Rule Making on the E-rate program.

Funds For Learning filed comments July 21 in response to the Federal Communications Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making on the E-rate program.

January 28 is the deadline that the Schools and Libraries Division has set for Service Provider Invoice forms and Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Forms associated with installations that were to be completed by September 30, 2002.

October 28 marks two important deadlines for some E-rate applicants.