The Schools and Libraries Division will commit an additional $103.4 million in E-rate funding on September 23. This boosts the total commitment for the 2003 funding year, thus far, to more than $1 billion. This latest wave (#12) pertains to funding for telecommunications services and Internet access — as well as internal connections at the 85 percent level. To date, nearly 28,000 funding letters have been issued to applicants for the 2003 funding year. This latest wave is being released a day later than usual because Hurricane Isabel shut down most government offices in Washington on September 18-19. The next wave for 2003 is scheduled to be released on Monday, October 6.