Program gives schools, libraries a discount for telecommunication
By Laura Katauskas
Staff Reporter
As digital learning at the Valley View School District continues to expand, the district is securing its plan to continue its upgrade for infrastructure.
Since 2015, the school district has been working to create an atmosphere that accommodates its new digital curriculum.
The district has been able to use E-rate funds for the massive wall-to wall wireless infrastructure to ensure connectivity for all of its resources.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Gary Grizaffi the E-rate program provides discounted telecommunications for schools and libraries. The district has been a participant of the program since 2002 and must follow protocol with a request for proposal to continue the program.
The district has completed its application for this year’s project to create a new wide area network and believes that the need for a robust, secure and swift network/digital infrastructure is a vital resource in order to support students and staff with teaching and learning. The key focus for the technology department is to ensure a stable infrastructure with speeds to meet the needs of the organization.
The E-rate program can cover up to 80 percent of the total cost of $489,000; with the district picking up only $140,000 of the cost.
Part of the work to be done would allow the district to have Wifi access throughout the building without any connectivity issues and would involve a Wide Area Network (WAN) upgrade, switches, and UPSs to provide increased bandwidth.
School board member Sally Guilbo is encouraged by the technology and questioned how long the infrastructure within the district would last and what additional costs could include.
“We have been upgrading and I like all the technology going on in the classrooms and I think that is really great, , but I just have questions about the deal for techonology and how long this program lasts,” said Guilbo.
Grizaffi explained that the district has a “very robust infrastructure which should buy us a few more years of operations without out upgrade.”
Director of Technology Astrid Welch also explained the $64,000 in additional components account for training and cards used for monitoring use, both of which the E-rate funds do not cover.
The primary goal of Schools and Libraries (ERate) Program is to make information services more affordable for schools and libraries across the U.S. This program was mandated by Congress in 1996 and implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1997; the ERate program provides discounted telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections to eligible schools and libraries, funded by the Universal Service Fund (USF). The program has a very high level of integrity to ensure that funds are provided to eligible entities for specific services and equipment, with very clear responsibilities for participants. In order to be in compliance there are expectations, timelines and processes that must be followed.
The district cautions that the program is designed to provide schools and libraries with financial support, but in every funding situation the school or library self-funds a percentage of the program and there is no guarantee that because a District, school or library applies for funding that the request will be granted. Funds are allocated to the highest poverty districts, schools and libraries and then the next highest, until all funds for the year are exhausted.
It is anticipated that work would be done by June 30, 2018. The administration plans to bring a firm recommendation of the plan to the board at its next meeting Oct. 23.