The Schools and Libraries Division announced Dec. 1 that it was wrapping up its funding commitment waves for Year 3 of the E-rate program, after committing a total of $2.085 billion worth of discounts for schools and libraries.
The SLD issued 31 additional commitments, totaling $1.4 million; a spokesman said the agency had fewer than 100 applications left to review. Last week, the agency announced that it would not be able to fund internal connections for applicants with discount rates lower than 82 percent.
Over the course of the program, the SLD said it has committed a total of $5.845 billion.
The SLD committed more in Year 3 than it had in either of the program's initial two years, but it took longer than it did last year. It took the agency nearly eight months to finish making funding commitments this year, compared with about four and a half months in 1999. Both years, the agency finished the bulk of its work in November.
The SLD committed more in Year 3 than it had in either of the program's initial two years, but it took longer to complete the process in Year 3 than it did in Year 2. It took the agency nearly eight months to finish making Year 3 funding commitments, compared with about four and a half months for Year 2. In both Years 2 and 3, the agency finished the bulk of its work in November.