The USAC Schools and Libraries Committee held their non-Quarterly Board Meeting on December 17 and recommended to the FCC to lower the Funding Year 2010 discount threshold from 85% to 81%. This decision has the potential to positively impact 870 FRNs from the 341 applicants that will now qualify to receive internal connections equipment and basic maintenance for FY2010.
It typically takes a few weeks for the FCC to approve USAC’s recommendations. On September 22, 2010, the SLD recommended to the FCC that they had enough money to cover schools requesting Priority Two funds at the 85% level and the first wave that funded those applications was October 6, 2010.
The SLD does not believe they have enough funds to cover the applicants requesting Priority Two services at 79% or below which still leaves the 80% schools in doubt. The SLD would need over $280 million to cover the 1,471 schools who have pending requests for Priority Two services in FY2010.
For information on final Priority Two funding discount thresholds for previous funding years, please visit our Service Categories & Priorities page.