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Wisconsin E-rate Information


January 8, 2010 updated


Latest Updates

  1. Enrollment and free/reduced lunch data posted
  2. Updated sites on DOA Cell and STS contract information
  3. ISES data for enrollment and lunch counts
  4. DOA BadgerNet federal broadband grant
  5. DPI comments to FCC on broadband for community anchor institutions

CONTENTS

arrow right Latest Updates

arrow right Funds Allocated to WI Schools and Libraries (some 2009 funding is still pending)

Year
Total
 
Year
Total
 
Year
Total
1998 $38,222,352.41   2002 $31,921,088.07   2006 $24,335,964.41
1999 $26,790,087.39   2003 $26,784,925.04   2007 $22,037,785.72
2000 $25,016,524.59   2004 $24,635,438.59   2008 $24,805,341.03
2001 $25,708,164.86   2005 $27,426,303.76   2009 $18,074,548.26

arrow right Other DPI E-rate Information

arrow rightKey SLD E-rate Information

arrow right DPI E-rate Email List

  • Join this list to make certain you get the latest information and E-rate program updates. This is a closed list and you will not get spam email.

arrow right Technology Plans

arrow right Other DPI E-rate Information



Note:   More recent information below may supersede older information.

Janaury 2010 updates

Enrollment and free/reduced lunch data posted

DPI has posted an Excel file of the 2009-10 enrollment and free/reduced lunch data.Excel file Note the following:

  1. The enrollment and poverty data were entered as part of the data needed for the Individual Student Enrollment System (ISES). Every district has an ISES coordinator and this person was responsible for entering the numbers in the spreadsheet. If you have questions about your numbers, contact your ISES coordinator. Now mistakes are always possible. If the numbers are not the same as entered by your coordinator, then contact me. But please understand, DPI cannot routinely change numbers because this would defeat the whole reason for providing the data. Schools are always free to use their own numbers but DPI cannot verify such data if we get questioned by PIA. Also, DPI does not verify any data entered in the "alternative count" column G.
  2. The file will be sent later this month to the SLD. If you use the numbers in the Excel file you should not be questioned by the SLD/PIA.
  3. The file is sorted by school district (Col C). The two DPI schools are in a separate worksheet.

December 2009 updates

DOA cell and STS contract information

Information on these contracts has been updated. See the following sites:

ISES (Individual Student Enrollment System) data for enrollment and lunch counts

As of late December some districts are still working on their enrollment and lunch data. We anticipate posting a spreadsheet with lunch and enrollment data the first week of January. This will give you about 5 weeks to file any Form 471s by the filing deadline of 10:59pm CST, Thursday, February 11, 2010.

November 2009 updates

Fall E-rate workshops

As we have done the past several years, DPI staff will present two identical online E-rate workshops this November in preparation for the upcoming July 1, 2010, E-rate application year. The workshops will be done via Mediasite and will include an overview of the E-rate process with specific information on forms and deadlines. Related information about the TEACH program and BadgerNet (BCN) will also be included. You are invited to attend either session and no registration required. The PowerPoint slides will be posted out late Monday pm or early Tuesday morning, November 10.

Click on the above link about 5 minutes (2:55pm) before the presentation.

ISES (Individual Student Enrollment System) data for enrollment and lunch counts

For the past several years DPI has used the ISES enrollment and poverty data for the E-rate enrollment and free/reduced lunch data. Monday, October 19 was the deadline for districts to report ISES data to DPI. There is now a data review and revision period that involves DPI and district staff to reconcile any outstanding issues. This period closes on November 18. We anticipate posting a spreadsheet with lunch and enrollment data about the second week of December.

DOA BadgerNet federal broadband grant (This only impacts schools on BadgerNet)

In August the state's Department of Administration (DOA) submitted a $28 million federal broadband grant to bring fiber to school districts and libraries on the BadgerNet Converted Network (BCN).  (See information at http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/arrabbfunding.html for details.)  The grant program is very competitive with $7 requested for every $1 in grant funds available.  But if this grant is funded, all school districts on the BCN will get 100Mbps for $250/month.  Because many ISPs base Internet costs partly on the bandwidth they need to provide to their customers, any increase in your BCN circuit may also increase your Internet costs.  DOA is working with the providers who offer Internet service on the BCN to get updated pricing.  NOTE:  DPI suggests that schools do not file E-rate for 2010 Internet service until the updated pricing is available.  For schools who get Internet service via WiscNet, under its Grow Smart initiative there is no increase in a school's WiscNet bill if the school increases its BCN bandwidth.

DPI comments to FCC on broadband for community anchor institutions

On October 28 DPI submitted comments to the FCC on broadband for community anchor institutions, like schools and libraries. More specifically, the FCC is seeking comments on the cost to bring fiber to community anchor institutions. This is part of the information the FCC is seeking to help in its development of a national broadband plan which must be completed by February 17, 2010.


Past updates and information

Bandwidth options paper updated (will be updated in mid-November 2009)

Many schools and libraries are finding that they have insufficient bandwidth to meet the needs of their staff, students, or library patrons. The Bandwidth Options Paper, first released in December 2007, has been updated.

Information on DOA cell contract updated (will be updated in mid-November 2009)

Information on using the state Department of Administration's (DOA) cell contract has been updated. Review this information carefully, and note that to receive discounts on data or Internet services (e.g., email, Web) received via any handheld device (cell phone, BlackBerry, etc.) applicants must file both a Form 470 and 471.

New federal law (Oct. 2009)

The President signed the Broadband Data Improvement Act (PL 110-385) on October 10. Title II of this act, “Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act,” is designed to promote Internet use “in a manner that promotes safe online activity for children, protects children from cybercrimes, including crimes by online predators.” The legislation adds an additional requirement to the CIPA Internet Safety Policy that each district must have to receive Internet access or internal connection discounts. The added language says that as part of the Internet safety policy the school is "educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.” The FCC will be providing guidance on the impact of this on the 2009 E-rate funding year.

Common reasons for E-rate denials

DPI staff have compiled a list of the Common Reasons for E-rate Funding Denials. This list is based on Wisconsin applications from 2004 through 2006. In this three-year period, 8.3% of all funding requests were denied. See the listing of denials for more detailed explanations on why applications are denied. The five most common reasons are listed below.
  • Contract issues: 24% of all denials
  • Insufficient documentation: 17%
  • 30% rule: 15%
  • No 470 posted; 9%
  • 471 filing issues; 5%

State Agency Resource Staff

Please contact the following staff if you have questions.

K-12 public school E-rate questions and public school technology plans:

Stephen Sanders
Dept. of Public Instruction
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
phone: (608) 266-3856 fax: (608) 266-2529
email: mailto:stephen.sanders@dpi.wi.gov

Library E-rate questions and public library and library system technology plans:

Bob Bocher
Dept. of Public Instruction
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
phone: (608) 266-2127 fax: (608) 266-2529
email: mailto:robert.bocher@dpi.wi.gov

E-rate and private school technology plans:

Tara Baxter
DOA-TEACH Wisconsin
101 East Wilson St.
P.O. Box 8761
Madison, WI 53708-8761
phone: (608) 266-7738 fax: (608) 267-0626
email: tara.baxter@wisconsin.gov


Bob Bocher, Technology Consultant
WI Dept. of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning
125 S. Webster St. Madison WI 53707-7841
(608-266-2127, fax 608-266-2529)
robert.bocher@dpi.wi.gov


Last updated on 1/8/2010 9:10:20 AM