Oregon Schools Fund State Match Funding for Special Construction E-Rate Projects
Connecting Oregon Schools Fund provides state match dollars for special construction E-Rate projects, maximizing federal funding and reducing out-of-pocket costs to zero. Oregon Department of Education initiatives aim to bridge the digital divide through strategic grants and bonds, supporting school connectivity and infrastructure enhancement
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Connecting Oregon Schools Fund State Match Funding for Special Construction E-Rate Projects Oregon Department of Education 1
ODE Mission and Vision Oregon Department of Education 2
Connecting Oregon Schools Fund (COSF) was established in 2018 to maximize federal funding by providing state match dollars for special construction E-Rate projects. The federal E-Rate program will match state provided funding up to an additional 10% (after the already provided E-Rate discount) Out of pocket costs on special construction projects could be reduced to ZERO. Special Construction E-Rate Projects provide funding for upfront, non-recurring costs for deployment of new or upgraded facilities. Eligible components include: Construction of network facilities Design and Engineering Project Management What is COSF and Special Construction? Oregon Department of Education 3
Special Construction Project Cost: $3,100,000 What does a state match look like? E-Rate Discount (80%): $2,480,000 Remaining Cost: (20%) $620,000 State Grant Funds: (10%) $310,000 Additional Federal Funds: (10%) $310,000 Total Out of Pocket Cost for School: (0%) $0 Oregon Department of Education 4
Thank you to Oregon School Districts and Educational Services districts. Your contribution to the Connect Oregon Students for Learning Summit in the Summer of 2020 directly impacted obtaining funding for this program: ~ $5.1 M of the Governor's Education Emergency Relief (GEER) funds are allocated towards helping 10 special construction projects for the 2021 E-Rate Fiscal Year. The 2021 Legislation allocated $17.5 M in lottery bonds towards COSF. Bonds will be sold in the Spring of 2023 One step closer to closing the digital divide. Oregon Department of Education 5
Goal: to keep the process as simple and approachable as possible. Next steps for COSF Program build out happening Summer of 2022 Gather updated digital connectivity data for the schools to have an accurate picture of unserved and underserved areas. Have a clear understanding of roadblocks that prevent schools with the greatest need pursuing Special Construction E-Rate projects and if there are ways to alleviate those obstacles. Oregon Department of Education 6
How can you maximize your erate discount? In Fall 2022 schools will be required to submit eligibility data from National School Lunch Program to ODE (this was standard prior to Covid) Strongly encourage all families to fill out the Free/Reduced eligibility forms (most schools send these out with welcome packets in August) Add to the agenda of any welcome meetings for parents Have a second, or follow up, distribution of applications September/October Note -Discount rates are based on % of students eligible for NSLP not necessarily participating students Alternate Discount Method Surveys-get new ones Fall 2022. CEP-make sure you have renewed if necessary Oregon Department of Education 7
48 2022 Form 471s still in review in OR Best Practices: Answer PIA immediately- don t wait the full 15 days if possible Provide clear documentation enrollment/discount rate verification letters come from Jen PIA (Program Integrity Assurance) Oregon Department of Education 8
Form 470s opened July 1 Competitive Bidding- must leave open minimum of 28 days (4 weeks) C1- 4-6 weeks C2 Equipment- 4-6 weeks C2 Cabling- 6-8 weeks RFP examples by request 2023 Looking Forward Oregon Department of Education 9
How you can partner with us: Complete the internet connectivity survey. Do you know of schools that could benefit from this funding program? Help us get connected with them! Good on infrastructure but want help for the end-user - Help spread the word about Faster Internet Oregon Sign up for our newsletter. Available on the ODE Broadband Connectivity Page. Internet is no longer a commodity, it is a utility. Contact Information: Jen Thul State E-Rate Coordinator jen.thul@ode.oregon.gov | 541-969-4976 Kaylen Dinsmore COSF Coordinator kaylen.dinsmore@ode.oregon.gov | 971-388-4269 Oregon Department of Education 10
