Announcements  Emergency Connectivity Fund Second Application Window Closes Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), a temporary federal funding program available to E-rate eligible schools. ECF program funds may reimburse schools for the purchase of internet service and laptops or tablets necessary for students and teachers to participate remote learning activities away from school. October 13, 2021, is the final deadline to file applications for ECF funding for purchases between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. More information may be found on the FCC's website at https://w...

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/announcement-letter-202108.pdfThe U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent a letter to district superintendents announcing that it will administer a 2021–22 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), marking the first time that OCR has conducted a CRDC, including all public school districts and their schools, two school years in a row—2020–21 and 2021–22.  Read the superintendent letter PDF (78K)

 The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued two resource collections—one for elementary and secondary schools and one for postsecondary institutions—designed to assist in planning for a successful and equitable return to schools and campuses. The two collections include fact sheets, Q&As, letters to educators, and other materials explaining the obligations that elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools have under the federal civil rights laws enforced by OCR to provide educational environments free from discrimination. Read the Elementary and Secondary Resource Collection PDF (508K)Read the Postsecondary Resource Collection PDF (356K) As we look forward...

The United States Department of Education on Tuesday April 6, 2021 approved in writing a request from the California Department of Education to waive some accountablity, school identificiation, and related reporting requirements for the 2020-21 school year due to challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic.   Please note that these accountabilty requirement waivers did NOT extend reporting or testing deadlines nor did they waive the administration of any CAASPP, CAST, CAA, ELPAC, or related state tests.  In addition no extension to testing deadlines were issued. You can read the full report below: 

December 19, 2019 Updated Joint Guidance on Privacy and Student Education and Health Records The U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released updated joint guidance today addressing the application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to records maintained on students. The guidance, which was first issued in November 2008, clarifies for school administrators, health care professionals, families, and others how FERPA and HIPAA apply to education and health records maintained about students. The revised guidanc...

Announcements Important Deadline Reminder: Filing FCC Form 500 Service Delivery and Contract Extensions The deadline for delivery and installation of non-recurring services such as Category One broadband installation and Category Two Internal Connections is generally September 30, following the close of the funding year. Applicants with funding requests that contain non-recurring products or services that have not yet been delivered or installed must start working now on filing the FCC Form 500 to request USAC to extend the service delivery deadline and report extended contract end dates. The service delivery and/or contract extension requests must be submitted to USAC on or before the Septe...

Announcements and News Comments Due on Proposed Eligible Services List for FY2020 On August 2, 2019, the FCC released (DA 19-738) seeking comment on the proposed eligible services list (ESL) for the E-Rate program for funding year 2020. The ESL does not include substantive changes, however, continued support for Managed Internal Broadband Services (MIBS), caching, and Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections (BMIC) may be subject to change. Absent Commission action on the Category Two Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (FCC 19-58), continued eligibility of MIBS, caching and BMIC will vary for applicants that began their five-year Category Two budget cycle in FY2015 versus those that first...

E-RATE NEWS FLASHContents:Announcements Funding Commitment Summary Pending Dates and Deadlines Upcoming Training Events E-rate Process: Activities to Work on NowAnnouncements Category 2 Budget Inflation Factor AnnouncedIn the March 8, 2019, Schools and Libraries News Brief, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced the Funding Year 2019 Category 2 budgets, indexed to an inflation factor of 2.2%.          By School: Number of students enrolled at school multiplied by $159.669053922          Libraries with an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) locale code of 11, 12, or 21: Tota...

E-RATE NEWS FLASHContents:Announcements Funding Commitment SummaryPending Dates and DeadlinesUpcoming Training EventsE-rate Process: Activities to Work on NowAnnouncementsCALNET 3 Contract Extensions PostedMany public agencies including public schools and libraries utilize the state master contract CALNET 3 for the purchase of broadband and telecommunications services, some of which may be eligible for E-rate discounts. California's Department of Technology has recently posted extensions to CALNET 3 through June 30, 2020, on the California Department of Technology website. California E-rate applicants citing the CALNET 3 contract on their Funding Year 2019 FCC Form 471 funding requ...

E-RATE NEWS FLASH Announcements  Limited Waiver for Victims of October 2017 California Wildfires and Additional Opportunity to Request Relief On January 3, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a limited waiver (DA 19-15 ) for victims of the October 2017 wildfires in eight counties designated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as eligible for disaster relief. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) published a list of affected applicants and issued instructions on how affected applicants may initiate requests in its January 22 USAC News Brief. It is important to note while this particular decision is limited, the FCC stated in its decision than ...

E-RATE NEWS FLASH  Announcements Limited Waiver for Victims of October 2017 California Wildfires On January 3, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a limited waiver (DA 19-15 PDF) for victims of the October 2017, wildfires in eight counties designated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as eligible for disaster relief: Butte, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma, Lake, Orange, and Yuba. Applicants in the affected counties may have additional time to file appeals or requests for waiver with the FCC or the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and to file FCC Forms 486, Forms 472, and Forms 474. Applicants that had E-rate records destroyed...

Issue 18-08 September 6, 2018 E-rate News Flash Contents: ·         Announcements ·         Pending Dates and Deadlines ·         Upcoming Training Events ·         E-rate Process: Activities to Work on Now Announcements FCC Issues Public Notice on Draft Eligible Services List for FY 2019 On July 30, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice (DA 18-789) establishing the comment period for the Funding Year (FY) 2019 Eligible Services List (ESL). Comments on the draft ESL, whi...

In this News Flash, the California Department of Education (CDE) presents a new format that includes the following sections: ·Announcements ·Pending Dates and Deadlines ·Upcoming Training Events ·E-rate Process: Activities to Work on Now Announcements Funding Year 2019 FCC Form 470 is Available in the E-rate Productivity Center The FCC Form 470 for Funding Year 2019 is available to file in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC). There are some notable changes in the Form, including new clarification text pertaining to services delivered over fiber. These changes are explained in the June 29, 2018 Schools and Libraries News Brief at https://www.usac.org/sl/tools/news-briefs/preview.aspx?id=839....

Below is a PDF of pages 55 through 69 of the CALPADS Data Guide Version 9.3 that explains various program eligibilty and participation guidelines.   

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a non-pricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas. CEP allows the nation's highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). File Name: CEPfactsheet File Size: 425 kb Download File File Name: california...

E-rate News Flash Funding Year 2018–19 Funding Commitments The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) has released the first four waves of funding commitments for the 2018-19 funding year. As of May 11, 2018, funding commitments for California schools exceed $65.4 million. Those local education agencies (LEA) that received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) must now do the following: 1. Review the FCDL for accuracy. The FCDL has a new format which can be previewed in a six-minute video provided by USAC. The video is located on the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) Online Learning Library Web page at, https://www.usac.org/sl/about/outreach/videos/Funding-Commitment-Decisi...

Entity Profile Update We want to thank all of the Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that were able to update their entity profile in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) to include the County-District-School (CDS) number prior to the close of the Administrative window. A total of 1,837 sites now have the added CDS number to help them through the Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) review process.Important Funding Year 2018 Dates and Deadlines The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced on December 14, 2017 the E-rate Funding Year 2018-19 application filing window dates.·         The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Form...

Important Funding Year 2018 Dates and Deadlines The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced on December 14, 2017 the E-rate Funding Year 2018-19 application filing window dates. • The administrative Window (used to update Entity Profiles in the E-rate Productivity Center) closes January 10, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST.• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Form 471 window: opens January 11, 2018 at noon EST and closes March 22, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST.• The last day to file the FCC Form 470 is February 22, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  The EPC Administrative Window is Open until January 10 at 11:59 p.m. EST! This is our second reminder encouraging Local Education...

FCC ACTS TO RESTORE INTERNET FREEDOM Reverses Title II Framework, Increases Transparency to Protect Consumers, Spur Investment, Innovation, and Competition -- WASHINGTON, December 14, 2017—The Federal Communications Commission today voted to restore the longstanding, bipartisan light-touch regulatory framework that has fostered rapid Internet growth, openness, and freedom for nearly 20 years. Following detailed legal and economic analysis, as well as extensive examination of comments from consumers and stakeholders, the Commission reversed the FCC's 2015 heavy-handed utility-style regulation of broadband Internet access service, which imposed substantial costs on the entire Internet ecosyste...

E-rate Funding Year 2018 Application Filing Window Opens January 11, 2018 I am pleased to announce the Funding Year (FY) 2018 FCC Form 471 application filing window opens Thursday, January 11, 2018, at 12:00 noon EST and closes on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at 11:59 PM EDT. This filing window is more in keeping with those used in prior funding years. Applicants can begin preparing now for the successful filing of their FY 2018 funding applications by taking the following steps:Step 1 - Install Browser Updates: Google Chrome is the preferred browser for EPC, but no matter which browser you use, be sure the latest version is installed on your computer. Step 2 - Establish Account and U...