For those schools and libraries directly affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Communications Commission has extended the 2006 filing window until September 30, 2006 and also waived the two-in-five rule for Funding Year 2006. In their reasoning the FCC stated "many school students and library patrons in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that were forced from their homes may not return for months. As a result, many schools and libraries in the Katrina-affected areas did not have sufficient information about their reconstruction needs to prepare appropriate requests for E-rate funding by the end of the FY 2006 filing window. Granting these temporary modifications will provide schools and libraries that were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina additional time to assess damage and evaluate reconstruction needs based upon reasonable projections for returning populations.”
The full Extension Order can be viewed at FCC Hurricane Katrina Extension Order.doc
Further Katrina Guidance can be viewed at http://www.katrina-usf.org/katrina/
