E-Rate
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 established the E-Rate program to provide eligible schools and libraries with discounts on telecommunication and Internet access equipment. New York State’s 2018 funding allocation is over $71 million. The E-Rate program is administered by theÌýSchool & Library Division of theÌý.Ìý
ToÌýprovide technical assistance and facilitate theÌýE-Rate application process, The ¿ìè³É°æÊÓƵ (¿ìè³É°æÊÓƵ)Ìýpartners withÌý,Ìýan organization with extensive experience with the E-Rate program.ÌýAs of 2016, adult education facilities providing secondary education are also eligible for E-Rate discounts.Ìý¿ìè³É°æÊÓƵÌýstrongly urges all schools and libraries to take full advantage of all the E-Rate discounts onÌýtelecommunication and Internet access equipment.Ìý
Some of the services provided to New York schools and libraries by E-Rate Central are:Ìý
- WeeklyÌýEmailÌýNewsletterÌýfor E-Rate coordinatorsÌýwith current news and information. Sign-upÌýatÌýtheÌýÌýWeb site.Ìý
- ·¡-¸é²¹³Ù±ðÌýÌýforÌýspecific E-rate questions.Ìý
- E-Rate Central offers half-dayÌýE-Rate workshopsÌýthroughout the State. Workshops will be announced on theÌýÌýWeb site.Ìý
- Ìýis a Web-based tool that helps schools and libraries organize and analyze their specific E-rate informationÌýfree of charge, 24 hours a day. Ìý
Ìýinformation can be found on the New York State Library E-Rate for Libraries page.Ìý
The process that ¿ìè³É°æÊÓƵ will use to validate the eligibility of entities to receive E-Rate funding is outlined in the E-Rate Validation of Schools memo.
Information on how to use SSBA allocation funds to help leverage federal E-rate reimbursements to support modernization goals is available in the Smart Schools Bond Act and E-Rate Leveraging Possibilities document.
For additional information, please contactÌýby email or (516) 801-7801.Ìý