Wireline Bureau Provides E-rate Guidance for Schools

The FCC Wireline Bureau provided guidance on new districtwide budgets for category two E-rate services. “Beginning in funding year 2021, we will permit charter schools to demonstrate that they are individually responsible for their finances and administration even when they are legally part of a school district under state law whether for category two budget or discount rate purposes,” said the public notice in Thursday's Daily Digest. Staff clarified that school districts “are to count each full-time student in the district one time when calculating their district-wide budget.” Recognizing that enrollment has been affected by COVID-19, the bureau will “permit applicants to provide their full-time enrollment numbers from their funding year 2020 FCC Form 471 applications” in the 2021 funding year.