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E-Rate

Congress created the E-Rate program in 1996 to help schools and libraries keep up with the cost of providing Internet and telecommunications access.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 provided a fund of $2.25 billion annually to be distributed to these entities.

While it is not funded by taxpayer dollars, telecommunications companies pass their costs along to customers through a charge on their bills, sometimes labeled as Federal Universal Service Fund.

The program reimburses schools and libraries for 20 to 90 percent of their costs to provide telecommunications and Internet access, including internal connections and basic maintenance as well as usage costs.

The discount provided is based on the level of poverty of the children served.

For example, Coachella Valley Unified School District has received 88 to 90 percent reimbursement in the past three years, Palm Springs Unified has received 82 to 86 percent and Desert Sands Unified has received 70 to 76 percent.

Schools are required to submit a technology plan and use a competitive bidding process to find vendors and meet other requirements to receive funding.

In 2011, the program distributed nearly $2.23 billion.

E-Rate funds are distributed by the Universal Service Administrative Company, which was designated by the Federal Communications Commission.

Read the original:
Coachella Valley Unified students remain frozen in digital divide