E-rate Program

The E-rate discount program lowers the cost of Internet access, and telecom and network data services for schools and libraries. It’s a tiered system of reimbursement, for which OSPI applies on behalf of all K-12 schools connected to the K-20 network.

• USAC’s Schools and Libraries Division directs the E-rate program.

Eligibility & Reimbursement
District E-rate Checklist
E-rate Reimbursement Amounts
Priority 1 & 2 Eligible Services
Compliance Criteria for CIPA

Tech Plan Approval, Form 479 & LOA Submission
Check Approval and Submission Status

Master Contracts, SPIN Numbers & NCES Codes
Master Contracts for Network and Telecom Equipment
Master contracts for the Bid Process
E-rate form 471 — Block 5 information
E-rate form 479 — Block 1 information
SPIN numbers and NCES codes

E-rate Checklist

• File a Form 479 (PDF) annually with OSPI, by the September deadline, to certify your compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Your school district is the “Administrative Authority.” There is new guidance from the FCC that clarifies CIPA requirements related to the education of minors about appropriate online behavior, and evidence of programs that raise awareness of, and respond to, cyberbullying.
  
  
• Make sure you check Item 6a in Block 2, which verifies compliance for the E-rate funding year — July 1 through June 30. Schools with form 479 (CIPA Certification) filed for E-rate.
  
  
• File a letter of authorization (Word) with the OSPI’s Educational Technology by September of every other year, which allows us to apply for the E-rate discount on your behalf. Schools with letters of authorization filed for E-rate.
  
  
• Get familiar with the changes to the district technology plan process.
  1. No technology plan requirement for Priority 1 only E-rate discount applications. All other E-rate discount program rules and regulations remain in effect.
  2. No Title IID reporting requirements — technology proficiency and integration among teachers, and student tech literacy.
  3. New tech plan submission and approval process that uses iGrants.

E-rate Reimbursement Amounts Tied to National School Lunch Program Data
At the school level, your E-rate discount is determined by the percentage of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

Find your district- and school-level data here on the Free & Reduced Price Meals Eligibility page on OSPI’s Child Nutrition site. These data are collected directly from every school district in Washington state during October.

If your district or schools in your district don’t show up in the Child Nutrition data, contact Susan Tenkhoff, (Susan Tenkhoff, (360) 725-5103) Washington state’s E-rate coordinator.

Priority 1 & 2 Eligible Services

• Broad categories of eligible services (PDF)
• 2013 eligible services list (PDF)

Compliance Criteria for CIPA
Children's Internet Protection Act UPDATE. New guidance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clarifies new Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requirements.

Here is a notification document (PDF) from the FCC that answers three key questions about the revisions to CIPA:

1. What should schools include in their Internet safety policies, and what documents should schools retain to demonstrate compliance with the requirement to educate minors about appropriate online behavior?
2. Are schools receiving E-rate discounts for Internet access and/or internal connections required to provide education about appropriate online behavior to their students every year?
3. Do schools need to ensure the education of every student in order to be able to certify they are educating minors about appropriate online behavior?

Read the FCC order (PDF) that details the revisions to the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Tech Plan Approval & E-rate Form Submission
OSPI approves district technology plans for all public schools.

Check for tech plan approval, and the status of your E-rate form 479 and LOA submissions.

Tribal and private schools, Head Start and other pre-K through grade 12 educational organizations can also submit their technology plans for OSPI review and approval. Contact Julia Fallon, (360) 725-6246.

Master Contracts for Network & Telecom Equipment
School districts can take advantage of the state’s optional-use, E-rate eligible master contracts. These are contracts for which the state has:

• Posted a Form 470.
• Run a fair, open and competitive bidding process.
• Awarded optional-use master contracts.

Two kinds of services are available through these E-rate eligible contracts.

1. Cellular — contracts with AT&T, Sprint and Verizon.
2. Advanced ethernet — contracts with eight vendors.

Master Contracts for the Bid Process
Here are the Master contracts on the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) site. Be aware: the state has not filed an E-rate form 470 for all the master contracts listed with DES.

E-rate Form 471 – Block 5 Information (Master Contract)
Here is the Block 5 info for E-rate form 471 (Excel) you’ll need to buy E-rate eligible services from state master contracts.

• Smart guidance from USAC that will help you use these contracts to maximize the E-rate discount.
• On our K-20 Network pages, more information on master contracts and network costs

E-rate form 479 – Block 1 information

• Name of Administrative Authority: name of your school district, for example, Olympia School District.
• Funding Year: this is the 2013 funding year for E-rate, which runs July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014.

SPIN Number & NCES Code

• Use the SLD search engine.
• Use the NCES search engine.

E-rate Training & Materials
Here is a recording of the November 2012 E-rate training led by OSPI staff and a presentation you can download.

• USAC training materials (second table down on this page)