RESD and local school districts earn discount on telecommunications and internet services for the fourteenth consecutive year; saving more than $7 million over time

In the late 90s, with the use of technology in schools rapidly evolving, the internet and telecommunications services became increasingly more common and were quickly considered to be valuable tools that enhanced student learning.

Recognizing that full access to these services was a critical piece of student success, the federal government developed the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC); a federal program that gives annual financial support to a select number of public K-12 schools and private libraries across the country to offset a portion of their internet and telecommunications costs. Commonly known as “E-rate”, the program provides entities with discounts of up to 90 percent on these services. The amount of the discount is based on the district’s percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch.

The Clare-Gladwin RESD, along with Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin and Harrison school districts have been applying for and receiving these discounts since 1998. They were recently awarded funding for the fourteenth consecutive year, saving a combined total of more than $7 million in telecommunications costs over time. 

“The overall purpose of the program was to alleviate some of the financial burden schools faced when simply paying for equipment and materials necessary to provide basic technology,” said Clare-Gladwin RESD Director of Technology Ken Chinavare. “The government encouraged the districts who received the discounts to redirect the money they would have normally had to spend on those essentials and invest it in new technology that enhances learning and instruction, such as SMART Boards, laptop carts, and more.”

Specifically, the RESD and the local districts rely on the discounts to help with the cost of the schools’ internet, local and long-distance phone service, cellular phone service, and internal connections, such as basic phone maintenance and data wiring and electronics.

“This funding is crucial for our organization and the local districts,” said Chinavare. “Our budgets are extremely limited, so the E-rate discounts allow us to maintain our current technology required for everyday functions, like phone service and internet. In turn, we are able to invest in some of the developing technology that is necessary for 21^st Century learning.”

According to their website, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation created in 1997 to collect universal service contributions from telecommunications carriers and administer universal support mechanisms (programs) designed to help communities across the country secure access to affordable telecommunications services. USAC carries out its functions as the administrator of the federal universal service programs and universal service fund (USF) under the oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).