The start of a new school year is the right time to ask a few key questions before your next E-rate cycle begins. As students and staff return, schools and libraries are getting a real-world look. While major network assessments and infrastructure upgrades are often completed during the summer, the start of the school year is the perfect time to evaluate technology needs, review contracts, and prepare for the next E-rate cycle.
It can feel like the busiest parts of the E-rate calendar arrive faster every year. Taking time to plan now can help you avoid rushed procurements, missed deadlines, and funding challenges later.
Here are five questions every school and library should be asking as the new school year begins.
1. How Much Category Two Budget Do You Have Remaining?
Your Category Two (C2) budget is one of the most important planning tools available to schools and libraries. Because of the five-year budget cycle, C2 planning often extends beyond a single funding year. Projects may span multiple years, involve several contracts, and include services with different expiration dates.
That’s why it’s important to think ahead when developing your C2 strategy. Before you can plan future purchases or upgrades, you first need a clear understanding of how much funding remains available and what commitments are already drawing from your budget.
Ask yourself:
- How much of your C2 budget has been used? Does it include pending C2 funding requests?
- Do you have recurring C2 services that need to be removed from your budget for the remaining budget cycle?
- Do you have any projects you postponed or quit that should be revisited?
- Are there technology needs that should be prioritized with the funding you have left?
Understanding your remaining budget today can help you make better purchase decisions tomorrow.
2. Does Your Network Infrastructure Still Meet Your Needs?
Summer is often when network work gets done, but the start of the school year is when schools and libraries find out how well their network performs under everyday use.
Ask yourself:
- Do you have equipment that will reach end-of-life soon or within the current budget cycle?
- Do you have the coverage and capacity needed to support users and devices effectively?
- Do your network management and monitoring tools provide the visibility you need?
- Are staff, students, or patrons reporting recurring connectivity issues?
If problems are surfacing now, this may be the moment to start planning upgrades and figure out whether E-rate support can help fund them.
3. Is It Time to Upgrade Your Internet Bandwidth?
Many schools and libraries renew their internet service year after year without reviewing whether their bandwidth still meets current demand. To avoid this common mistake, take time to assess how your internet connection is performing before your next contract decision.
Ask yourself:
- Has internet utilization increased significantly?
- Are users experiencing slowdowns during peak periods?
- Have new devices, applications, or online services been introduced?
- Are future initiatives likely to increase bandwidth needs?
A bandwidth review can tell you whether your current service is still enough, whether you need more, and whether a future procurement should be part of your E-rate strategy. Reviewing these needs before your next contract renewal can help ensure you’re not locked into a service level that no longer meets your organization’s requirements.
4. Do You Know When Your E-rate Contracts Expire and Whether Extensions Are Available?
Contract management is one of the easiest aspects of E-rate planning to overlook. Too often, applicants discover a contract is expiring when procurement timelines are already tight, making the process more stressful than it needs to be.
Now is a great time to review:
- Internet access contracts
- Managed service agreements
- Internal connections contracts
- Maintenance agreements
For each contract, determine:
- When it expires
- Whether extension options exist and, if so, how many remain
- When extension notices must be submitted
- Whether board approval is required
A simple contract inventory can prevent last-minute surprises and provide valuable visibility into future procurement needs. It’s worth creating a single document that lists all current contracts and the important dates associated with each one.
Include key information such as:
- Contract start and expiration dates
- Available extensions and the final date they can be exercised
- The funding years associated with the contract
- The last date to receive service
- The last date to invoice USAC
Having all of this information in one place makes long-term planning easier and helps ensure that contract renewals, procurements, and E-rate deadlines don’t catch you by surprise.
5. If Procurement Is Needed, Do You Know Your State and Local Rules?
Any successful procurement must comply with both E-rate requirements and state and local procurement rules. A common mistake applicants make is assuming that compliance with E-rate rules is all they need to consider.
That’s why it’s critical to understand your local procurement requirements when planning for E-rate. Failing to follow local rules could jeopardize funding and create unnecessary delays. Local requirements can also significantly impact your procurement timeline, making early planning essential.
Some important areas to review include:
- Bidding thresholds
- Public notice requirements
- Evaluation procedures
- Board approval requirements
- Cooperative purchasing limitations
- Unique documentation retention requirements
Now is also a good time to loop in purchasing staff, your business office, consultants, legal counsel, and your governing board, so everyone’s clear on the requirements and timeline for an upcoming procurement.
Taking the time to understand the rules today can help prevent compliance issues, funding challenges, and timeline delays later.
Don’t Wait Until the Filing Window
The most successful E-rate applicants don’t wait until the last minute. They use the beginning of the school year to understand their available Category Two budget, evaluate network performance, assess bandwidth needs, review contracts, and prepare for future procurements.
A few hours spent answering these questions now can save significant time and stress later.
After all, back-to-school season isn’t just for students. It’s also the perfect time for schools and libraries to make sure their E-rate plans are positioned for success.
Ready to turn these questions into a plan? Join our free My E-rate Guides (MEG) webinar this Thursday, August 6, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. We’ll cover the draft Eligible Services List, FY2027 planning, and a walkthrough of the Form 470. Register for the August 6 MEG.
About the Author: Elizabeth brings a unique perspective to her work at Funds For Learning; having been homeschooled herself, she has a deep appreciation for traditional school systems and the vital importance of educational resources. She thoroughly enjoys partnering with school and library contacts who juggle multiple responsibilities to stretch their budgets for their communities.
