E-rate Commentary

by John Harrington

December 12, 2013

Protecting Rural Schools

The E-rate program's current funding cap and 1998-era priority rules are producing an odd consequence: the current system prioritizes funding for applicants based on their technology choices, rather than their...

December 6, 2013

What is Your Priority?

Connecting the students in the poorest schools in America should be the first priority of the E-rate program. Instead, E-rate funding rules are stacked in favor of wealthy schools and...

by Peter Kaplan

November 27, 2013

What I am thankful for‚Ä¶

I am thankful for the E-rate program and for the many stakeholders that participate in the E-rate program. The E-rate program has been a wonderful federal program that has helped...

by Peter Kaplan

November 22, 2013

Competitive Bidding Reminders

Fair and open competitive bidding is the central tenant of the E-rate program. This is the time of year that most school districts and public libraries go through their procurement...

by John Harrington

November 15, 2013

Now What?

Last week was a significant week for the E-rate program. The week started with Tom Wheeler officially stepping in as the new Chairman of the FCC, and it ended with...

by Peter Kaplan

November 7, 2013

State Leadership and the E-rate Program

This week I had the pleasure of attending the State Education Technology Director's Association (SETDA) Leadership Conference in Arlington, Va. The conference brought together state education technology leaders to discuss...

by Peter Kaplan

November 1, 2013

Estimated Time Per BCAP Audit

I attended the USAC Schools & Libraries Quarterly Committee Meeting on Monday, October 28 where the Board discussed that the estimated 2014 programmatic budget would be $53 million which is...

by Peter Kaplan

October 25, 2013

Why Can’t Redundant Networks Be E-rate Eligible?

I was at the USAC E-rate applicant training in Atlanta this week and a school E-rate administrator asked the USAC about having redundant networks funded as part of the E-rate...