Items to consider and a few questions answered!
What’s the number one reason schools don’t receive E-Rate dollars?
They don’t apply for it.
When we talk to principles and administrators about E-Rate funds, we hear the same questions over and over. We look forward to answering all of your questions and listening to your conserns. Our commitment is
Here are the top 10 most frequently asked questions?
1.“My school is in a very affluent area. Can we still qualify for E-Rate discounts?”
All non-profit schools with less than $50 Million in endowment are eligible to receive E-Rates.
2.“What services are eligible for E-Rates?”
Local, long distance, cellular phone service (purchased by the school),internet (landline and wireless) access and web hosting are eligible for E-Rate discounts.
3.“What Percentage of our eligible expenses can we receive in E-Rates?”
Schools can receive E-Rates to help defray 20% to 90% of the eligible costs listed above. For example, a school with 1% of its students from low-income
families qualifies for a 40% discount.
4.“If we don't participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), can we still qualify for E-Rates?”
Yes. Schools do not need to participate in NSLP to receive E-Rates. In fact, most of our private schools use approved alternative methods to document their number of low-income students, without divulging any private information
5.“What if our telephone and internet bills are in the name of our church or synagogue? Can we qualify for E-Rates?”
You can receive E-Rates based on a fair cost allocation of the services received by your school, even if your bills are paid by the church or synagogue.
6.“If my school is approved for E-Rate funding, how and when do I receive the funds?”
The E-Rate funding period is from July 2012 through June 2013. When your school is approved we notify your service providers to begin including your E-Rates as discounts on your monthly bills. Regardless of when you are approved, your school will receive the discounts for the full 12 months from July 2012 through June, 2013.
7.“What guarantee do we have that we will receive E-Rates if we hire your firm?”
Our job as your E-Rate consultant is to gather, organize and present your information in the proper way, to meet the multiple filing deadlines, and to shepherd your filings through the various required reviews. If you are not approved for E-Rates, for any reason, we will refund any fees you pay us for that filing year.
8.“How much time will it take us to get you the information needed to complete our filings? And how much time would it take for us to file ourselves?
Having hired us, your school's business manager or bookkeeper of the school will spend approximately 2 hours providing the information needed to complete the E-Rate filings. Many schools spend 30 to 40 hours yearly to file for E-Rates on their own, in addition to keeping up with yearly change in procedures. Our mission is to maximize your E-Rate discounts while minimizing your staff time and stress.
9.“If we apply for E-Rates, will the government interfere with our teaching and administration of our school?”
No. E-Rates is a publicly funded program overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). There is no connection between E-Rates and the Department of Education. The only federal requirement to participate in the program is that a school complies with the Child Internet Protection Act.
10.“What happens after we are approved for 2012 E-Rates? Do we need to file every year?”
Yes. E-Rate approvals are for one 12-month period from July1st, to the following June 30th
