November 24, 2014
NEW Form 470 is now available
The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) has released the new Form 470 and it is now available for immediate use. Please note that the Form 470 must be filed electronically. To access the electronic form please go to Universal Service Administrative Company’s Apply Online Webpage at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp.
If you need assistance in filling out the form and meeting all of the bidding requirements associated with the form, we encourage you to attend the annual E-rate trainings provided by the K12 High Speed Network (K12 HSN). The details of this year’s training are available below.
Annual E-rate trainings begin November 25, 2014
If you have not already signed up for the annual E-rate training sessions, there’s still time to sign up. The training sessions will focus on the new forms and changes to the program, ensuring you have the knowledge needed to successfully apply for and receive E-rate funds for the 2015-16 funding year.
You can register for trainings on the K12HSN E-rate/CTF Trainings and Sign up Web page at http://www.k12hsn.org/programs/erate/trainings.php. The training will be available face-to-face, by videoconference, or by live streaming from your computer.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Wheeler proposes $1.5 billion Raise in Funding Cap
Through a press release on November 17, 2014, Chairman Wheeler proposed that the E-rate fund be increased by $1.5 billion, making the cap for Category 1 spending $3.9 billion. The initiative is part of a continuing overhaul of the Universal Service Fund and its educational component, known as E-Rate.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners will vote on this increase at a meeting on December 11, 2014. We will keep you informed as more information becomes available.
Invoice Deadline Extension Request
The K12HSN filed a global Invoice Deadline Extension Request (IDER) on behalf of California applicants on October 27, 2014. This IDER covered funding requests from the 2013-14 funding year that had not received full disbursement of funds. Once the extension request is approved, applicants will receive an additional 120 days to finish working with your service providers who are applying discounts to your bills, or to complete the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) form for those who have paid the bill in full and are seeking reimbursement from the SLD. This makes the new deadline approximately March 26, 2015.
This is the only extension that will be allowed so we encourage you to follow up with your service providers to ensure you have received all of your discounts.
If you have any questions, please contact the CDE Educational Data Management Division by e-mail at .
Sincerely,
Educational Data Management Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 6308
Sacramento, CA 95814
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/ft/