Funds For Learning’s 2012 applicant survey, a frank look at E-rate demand, and an analysis of the E-rate program’s direct impact on K-12 students nationwide highlight our top five analysis of 2012.
January 27, 2012
by Dirk Schroeder
The truth about E-rate demand is that even as state and local education budgets continue to shrink, more school districts are looking toward integrating technology into the teaching curriculum, as well as increasing the bandwidth to run this technology. The fact is that the only way school districts can receive federal K-12 technology funding today is through the E-rate program. Due to government budget cuts, the No Child Left Behind technology grant, which only a few short years ago was funded at nearly $700 million annually, is no longer being funded at all. This makes the E-rate program a vital funding stream for the K-12 education and library communities and, as illustrated below, it is time for an infusion of additional dollars by the FCC.
February 13, 2012
by Peter Kaplan
On February 8, 2012, the FCC denied 23 appeals due to late filing. When funds are denied or reduced, applicants and service providers have a right to appeal the decision with USAC. Appeals must be submitted within 60 days of the decision being appealed. If the 60-day appeal deadline is missed, an applicant can submit a waiver to the FCC. If “special circumstances” exist, the FCC may waive the appeal deadline.
Whitepaper Available: 2012 Survey of E-rate Applicants
October 11, 2012
In June 2012, Funds For Learning concluded a nationwide survey of E-rate applicants. The results of the survey have been published in a whitepaper available for download.
E-rate’s Direct Impact: Over 52 Million Students Served
November 6, 2012
In Funding Year 2012, school and school district applicants requested approximately $5 billion in E-rate discounts on connectivity services and communications infrastructure. These E-rate funding requests represent over 52.2 million K-12 students nationwide.
E-rate Funding Per Student: An Uneven Distribution
December 21, 2012
by Brian Stephens
In Funding Year 2011, over $200 per student was committed for approximately 8% of the students in the country. 92% of the student population served by the E-rate program in Funding Year 2011 received $47.10 per student or less.
