The Ubiquity of Inequity & Myth of the Robust Reliable Connection

Sheryl R. Abshire, Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer Calcasieu Parish Public Schools Lake Charles, LA sheryl.abshire@cpsb.org @sherylabshire

Steve Young Chief Technology Officer Judson ISD San Antonio, TX syoung@judsonisd.org @atemyshorts

What Is E-Rate?

E-Rate is a program administered by the FCC which helps schools afford their telecommunications connectivity, including internet

E-Rate funds are generally used for four purposes: telecommunications/phone service internet connections internal connections and internal connection maintenance

E-Rate is narrowly focused on connectivity. It is a critical part to any district’s technology plan.

As one piece of an overall tech plan, E-Rate CANNOT be used for professional development or to purchase devices.

Where Did E-Rate Come From?

Created as part of the 1996 reauthorization of the Telecommunications Act

An already existing program was expanded to include funding to support connectivity in schools and libraries

The funds come from telecommunications companies, who usually pass the fee along to consumers You can see the fee (Universal Services Fund)

on your monthly phone bill

Fund is capped at $2.4 billion – as of today! FCC 7th Report and Order July 11 adds $1 billion more

for two years Changes, approved by FCC order,

represent what many describe as most sweeping revisions in the program’s 18-year history

Total Erate funding since inception FY1998-to-FY2014 is $39.78 billion.

Total requested: $71.8 billion Total disbursed: $28.4 billion

Funding History

How Do Schools Benefit from E-Rate?

The E-Rate program provides funding, in the form of a discount, that helps schools afford their telecommunications connectivity.

E-Rate was critical in the massive expansion of Internet access to schools over the last decade.

As digital learning becomes the ‘norm’ in education, internet access and adequate bandwidth are a ‘must-have’, something E-Rate supports.

Why Does E-Rate Matter?

The E-Rate discount represents the ONLY source of federal funding available for education technology.

The US Education Department provides ZERO funding for education connectivity or professional development, even as schools brace for online assessments and the meaningful integration of technology in teaching and learning.

The sole source of federal education technology money is the FCC, not USED.

E-Rate and connectivity are the difference between students having access to a 21st-century digital learning experience and being left behind.

Does E-Rate Work?

Yes! E-Rate can take most of the credit in supporting the rapid, widespread growth in connectivity among the nation’s schools and libraries.

The biggest obstacle E-Rate faces is a funding shortage. Demand is regularly more than double what is available, meaning schools have to go without.

New policies channel more E-rate funding toward high-speed broadband and other technologies to provide schools and libraries with fast and reliable Web connectivity

Phases out support for various types of phone and “legacy” services that the FCC says are outmoded.

Application process promises smoother funding, and more transparency for prices schools and libraries pay for services

New Erate

Categories Replace Priorities New Focus of Program = Broadband

Category 1 (“C1”) TO CAMPUS ≈ OLD PRIORITY 1

(“P1”)

Category 2 (“C2”) ON-CAMPUS ≈ OLD PRIORITY 2

(“P2”)

Fast data and Internet incl. fiber & fixed wireless lease

Internal connections Access points, switches, data wiring

Voice service / circuits subject to 20% reduction/year

Basic Maintenance Break-fix + software for eligible goods

Eliminate non-brdbnd Cell data, txt, web/email, voicemail

Managed Internal Brdbnd 3rd party outsource; LAN-as-a-service

Source: Funds for Learning

E-rate Funding = Discounts

Unchanged: discount program Calculated based on NSLP eligibility District-wide and site-specific funding requests

New: Single discount rate all sites in district Top C2 discount rate lowered from 90% to 85% NSLP est. based on CEP or returned surveys Urban/rural definition refined

Source: Funds for Learning

Discount Calculation Matrix

Source: Funds for Learning

Category Two Support Capped Over Five Years

Calculated on building-by-building basis Multiply pre-discount factor by discount

Minimum of $9,200 pre-discount per site School @ $150/student

Source: Funds for Learning

Sample Five-year Category Two Budget Cap

Disc Enroll Factor Budget Cap

Site Disc Rate Enroll Factor

5-Year C2 Max

Small school

85% 50 students

$9,200 floor

$7,820

Large school

85% 500 students

$150 per

student

$63,750

Source: Funds for Learning

Other Category Two Budget Cap Notes

No sharing of cap between sites No budget for NIFs

Non-instructional facilities in schools Library facilities without public areas

Not impacted by prior funding (<FY2015) Enrollment change can increase cap

Source: Funds for Learning

Category Two Requests Ranked by NSLP

FCC commits $1 billion/year (2015+2016)

Priority system if insufficient C2 funding FRNs prioritized by discount rate, then…

School district: % NSLP students Libraries: % NSLP students (from school district)

Higher NSLP % = Higher odds of C2 funding

Source: Funds for Learning

Category Support Capped Over Five Years

Calculated on building-by-building basis No sharing of cap between sites Multiply pre-discount factor by discount

Minimum of $9,200 pre-discount per site School @ $150/student

Source: Funds for Learning

Funding Decisions by September First!

Workable applications = faster decision Filed timely with all information

to enable reviewer to make appropriate decision

Applicants that decline to respond over summer considered “unworkable”

Applicant/provider/consultant not subject to investigation, audit, or other reason for delay

Source: Funds for Learning

Timing of Other Changes

Immediate changes Appeals submitted to USAC first 10-year document retention required

No technology plans required FY2015

Direct applicant BEAR payments FY2016

E-filing/e-notification all forms FY2017

Source: Funds for Learning

The Best News Yet!

F.C.C. Chief Aims to Bolster Internet for Schools http://tinyurl.com/ErateRaised

FCC's Wheeler proposes Increasing E-Rate Program Cap to $3.9 Billion http://tinyurl.com/ErateIncrease

Strategies to Maximize E-rate

E-rate has never funded individual schools evenly (until now)

Schools more than likely have gear with widely different ages

The new funds do not go far enough to fund a robust wired and a robust wireless network

So how can we best stretch the funds?

Moving Network Gear

If a site with recent network gear can get funded again, go ahead and apply for the funding, then move out the slightly older gear to needier site with older gear. Caveats

E-rate funded gear must stay in place for at least 3 full years

If gear was funded otherwise, you most likely can move right away

Augmenting Network Gear

If a site with recent network gear needs additional equipment, most likely a denser access point installation, apply for funds to finish out the dense Wi-Fi deployment.

Use E-rate to Make Other Funds Go Farther

With many districts paying 20 cents on the dollar for infrastructure equipment, utilizing other funding sources can make a large E-rate application much more palatable financially. If your school has a technology bond or a new

school construction (bond funded or not), use this to cover the district’s portion of the equipment.

Apply for E-rate for infrastructure for new schools.

Can’t Budget Enough?

It may be possible to apply for all $150 per student in one year

And then budget the expenses over 2 local budget years to lessen the expenses for such a large capital investment

Fiber – We don’t need YOUR stinking fiber!

Many districts have paid telecoms for very expensive fiber interconnections between sites

They are costly They come with extra network hops and extra points of

failure But most of us don’t want to be burdened with maintaining a

large fiber network Consider an RFP for a fiber WAN Get pricing for long term options to

drive down price Do not build to own if you want

E-rate funding Give preference to designs that

limit network hops

How else can I conserve bandwidth?

Traffic shaping Can be done by

appliances, firewalls, UTMs Goal is to slow and/or

prioritize certain traffic It has limits and hardware that supports it has

limits Content Filtering – traffic policing

Goal is to allow/disallow certain traffic Usually focuses on only internet traffic

How else can I conserve bandwidth?

Proxy Servers – web cache, caching proxy Can store web request from one client to send to

multiple Some UTMs/filters may have built in May want to use at network hubs to further reduce

network traffic Free: Apache Traffic Server

WAN Optimization/Acceleration appliances $4.4 billion market in 2014 (Gartner) Can use prior techniques and many more

Compression, deduplication, etc.

How to Be Successful

There are no guarantees with technology……(except change)

This makes it hard to plan But you will need some

key things….

Plan Big!

Plan excess capacity E-rate, RFPs, and capital construction have

long timelines You will need more capacity every year Number of devices skyrocketing So is bandwidth consumption – what we

are doing is using more bandwidth You will need intermediary equipment with

higher speed ratings Switches, filters, firewalls, etc.

How fast and how much?

All schools should be connected with 1GB at least to a hub site

Depending on use, VDI, 1:1, size or site, etc. – 10GB may be needed

Hub sites should be planned for 10GB between sites

Does anyone need >1GB to the desktop? Wireless AC wave 2 – plan on pulling two wires

to every access point Consider using Cat6a over Cat6 (100 meters vs.

50 meters) – better suited to higher speeds

Plan What You Can Do

What? Don’t buy buses without drivers! Consider easy solutions Don’t just buy without thinking about how it

will be supported and by whom If your staff cannot support it, don’t do it OR – make sure you have outside support

to lean on Consider the new E-rate option for

managed network services

What Do YOU Need to Do?

E-Rate is a vital resource in enhancing student learning. It is the 4th largest source of non-state or local funding to

schools. More than eight of every 10 public schools rely on E-Rate

funding. RAISE THE CAP…RAISE THE CAP! E-Rate is a $2.25 billion per year…Inflation Adjusted…. Not

Nearly Enough! Talking about expanding eligible services – Really? Get involved – Advocate for your district/school @FCC, @TomWheelerFCC, @AjitPaiFCC, @mikeoFCC #RaisetheCap

Contact Information

Questions?

Sheryl R. Abshire, Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer Calcasieu Parish Public Schools Lake Charles, LA sheryl.abshire@cpsb.org @sheylabshire

Steve Young Chief Technology Officer Judson ISD San Antonio, TX syoung@judsonisd.org @atemyshorts