E-rate: More Important Than Ever
September 30, 2008
This is a guest post written by our Director of K-12 Operations and E-rate Expert, Paul Karlin
The country is facing serious financial challenges. Our nation’s school districts will experience the fallout through declining tax revenues and budget cuts. Will schools have to cut technology? How will our schools pay for their everyday technology costs, or keep up with technology changes that occur so often?
As 21st century educators, we recognize that technology is not a luxury or frill, it is a necessity. Thankfully, the E-rate program recognizes this fact, and helps schools cover their ongoing technology costs and infrastructure improvements in cases of financial need. The Federal E-rate (“Education rate”) program was started in 1998. It provides discounts of 20% to 90% to schools for typical tech costs such as Internet service and telephone service, as well as for the purchase and maintenance of network equipment. Eligibility for different types of products depends upon a school or district’s financial need. While it is common for all schools to receive discounts on, for instance, long distance service, only a small percentage of schools receive funds for hardware. Because E-rate funds come not from taxes but from the “Universal Service” fee on phone bills, it is a program that will not be cut – very important in today’s economic environment!
If your school or district is going through tough financial times, it is worth taking a close look at E-rate to see if there are ways to get more E-rate dollars, reduce local spending, and maintain or even improve their technology programs. Some entities are able to redistribute savings to areas of need. Many schools and districts maximize budgets in other creative ways that we would be happy to talk to you about.
Important questions to consider are:
Is your entity applying for all of the eligible products and services that it can? Surprisingly, many applicants do not realize that services for which they pay thousands of dollars are actually eligible for discounts.
Is your entity correctly filling out all required paperwork? As a federal program, E-rate is considered a pain to school administrators. But missing a date or filling in a form incorrectly can be very costly.
Has your free and reduced rate increased? Eligibility for free and reduced lunch is the measure used to determine program discounts. If your eligibility rate has increased, this means your entity is eligible for more money –- perhaps very significant dollars.
When the program first started, the $2.3 billion a year in funding for the entire nation seemed huge! Compared to the size of federal assistance to banks and other institutions, $2.3 billion seems paltry today, yet this program has effectively enabled our nation’s schools to connect to the Internet, join the 21st century, and to help address our current technology challenges.
Paul KarlinDirector, K-12 Operations
Smart Solutions
216-765-1122 ext. 8371
cell: 216-926-5997
pkarlin@smartsolutionsonline.com
SSI K-12 Insider August 2008
August 23, 2008
Blog readers: Each month, the Smart Solutions K-12 group sends our a monthly e-mail newsletter. I would like to invite each of you to subscribe by e-mailing Paul Karlin at pkarlin@smartsolutionsonline.com. (Here is the August edition for your perusal.)
August 2008
A monthly newsletter from Smart Solutions K-12“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
DID YOU KNOW?
Interested in free staff development without leaving home? Mark your calendar for the K-12 Online Conference starting from October 8th-25th. Session titles include: “How to Integrate Web 2.0 Tools on a Shoestring,” “Online Professional Development,” and “Acceptable Use and Web 2.0.” http://k12onlineconference.org/EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Recommended Blogs for Back-to-School:
- Check out the Always Learning blog for a description of an innovative approach to technology professional development that combines training, tech support, and collaboration.
http://mscofino.edublogs.org/2008/08/17/isb21-a-new-team-for-a-new-year/- The Innovative Educator blog has posted a variety of valuable resources for staff at the beginning of the year. Take a look to gain ideas of what information would be valuable for staff in your district to get a strong start to the year.
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/08/instructional-technology-tips-for-new.htmlSSI K-12 BLOG
Each month, SSI K-12 Vice President Nitin Julka posts a blog on our website.This month, in “Teacher Leadership to Effect Change in Education” Nitin discusses the importance of getting teachers involved in change management. Read the post at:
http://ssik12.com/2008/07/28/teacher-leadership-to-effect-change-in-education/SSI K-12 EVENTS
Lunch and Learn “Building a School Intranet with Microsoft Sharepoint” Tuesday, September 16, 12-1:30 PM, Canton Office. Lunch, demo, and discussion. RSVP: Paul Karlin or 216-765-1122 ext 8371.Lunch and Learn “E-rate Tips for Increasing Funding” Tuesday, October 7, 12-1:30 PM, Cleveland Office. Lunch, presentation, and discussion. RSVP: Paul Karlin or 216-765-1122 ext 8371.
“Thin Client and Virtual Computing” Date and time TBA. Nordonia Hills City Schools. Learn about the thin client and virtual computing projects in the district, and tour the facility. Breakfast AND lunch will be served.
“Technology Partnerships for 21st Century Schools” Wednesday, October 15, Noon – 1 PM. Session presented by Nitin Julka at OAPCS Conference, Columbus, Ohio
OAPCS Conference, Columbus – October, 2008
OSBA Conference, Columbus – November, 2008
MAPSA Conference, Detroit – November, 2008
E Tech Ohio Conference, Columbus – February, 2009KUDOS
Abby Kelton, our manager of professional development, has been selected to become a part of the inaugural class of the Ohio Education Policy Fellowship Program. This distinguished program prepares emerging education leaders to participate in state-level education initiatives.RECENT PROJECTS
Over the past months, Smart Solutions conducted Technology Audits for two Northeast Ohio school districts. The technology audit is a comprehensive review of how a school or district implements and integrates technology. The technology audit looks at infrastructure as well as classroom use. The final product of the technology audit is a report which analyzes current technology implementation and integration, provides short and long term recommendations (1 to 5 years), and provides cost estimates. If you think your school can benefit from a technology audit and would like to learn more, please contact Doug Jones.NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Videoconferencing has entered the High Definition age, and is more engaging than ever! Smart Solutions is partnering with Polycom to build custom solutions that combine state-of-the-art technology with world-class content and professional development. A hi-def demo and luncheon is planned for early October. Learn more from Paul Karlin.ABOUT SSI K-12
SSI K-12 is the Education Division of Smart Solutions, Inc. Smart Solutions K-12 provides products and services to increase IT efficiency and enhance student achievement. Our team includes experienced educators, highly skilled engineers and technicians, and curriculum and technology specialists. Smart Solutions is a 25-year-old company with over 75 employees and offices in Cleveland, Canton, Columbus, and Detroit.CONTACT US
Nitin Julka, Vice President
njulka@smartsolutionsonline.com 216-765-1122 ext. 8370Doug Jones, Managed Technology Services and Data Solutions
djones@smartsolutionsonline.com 216-765-1122 ext. 8380Paul Karlin, E-rate and Technology Solutions
pkarlin@smartsolutionsonline.com 216-765-1122 ext. 8371Abby Kelton, Professional Development and Software Solutions
akelton@smartsolutionsonline.com 216-765-1122 ext. 8381
website: www.ssik12.com