E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, and Connected Learning

By Deborah Sovereign, CPA, CEMP and Rachel Botts, CEMP

For decades, the Federal E-Rate program has supported student learning by investing in campus connectivity. First through telephone and early internet services, and now with diverse, cutting-edge technologies to connect campuses to highspeed networks and outfit school buildings with the latest wireless technologies, ensuring learning can happen no matter where they sit.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the limits of every system, but few more than education. Many districts had little to no experience with distance learning and those that did have experience also had aging and broken devices, if any at all. Districts that were already 1:1 struggled with lagging internet and connectivity issues. The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) was designed to address some of these challenges by making funding available to eligible schools and libraries for connected devices and broadband connections for students, school staff and library patrons.

Schools and libraries requested $5.137 billion during the first ECF window that will support:

■ 5.4 million broadband connections and

■ 9.1 million connected devices.

The initial demand and rising COVID-19 infections across the country prompted the FCC to change course and open a second window September 28, 2021, to October 13, 2021 to provide for any additional need for this coming year. Nearly $2 billion remains for this window and all eligible entities are encouraged to submit requests to meet their needs

Schools have E-Rate budgets of $167 per student for the period of July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2026. The budget cap is calculated districtwide so you can allocate the funding among school sites as you see fit. The minimum budget has increased to $25,000 for smaller districts.

Both E-Rate and OUSF will support bandwidth levels recommended by SETDA. WAN bandwidth recommendation is 10Gbps per 1000 users.

Internet Bandwidth

■ 4.3 Mbps/Student

■ 3 Mbps/Student

■ 2 Mbps/Student

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission may provide support for bandwidth increases in response to COVID-19 through June 30, 2022. Upgrades are reviewed for reasonableness and evidence supporting the need for additional bandwidth. Find more information at: http://www.occeweb.com/PU/OUSF/OUSF.html ■