The report doesn't mention another significant barrier
to using e-rate funding - the high RED TAPE overhead.
It takes quite a bit of effort, particularly for
someone new to the process, to put together an e-rate
funding request. The lack of an indication of what is
likely or not likely to get funding can lead to
dissatisfaction as well. I put quite a bit of effort
into requests last year that were refused. If there
were an indication that organizations getting x%
discounts were highly unlikely to get funding for
requests in certain categories, it could save a lot
of work.

Sigurd Andersen

Quoting Philip Hyjek <[log in to unmask]>:

> ----------------------------------------
> Technology Reports, Speech, & Conference
> ----------------------------------------
>      The Department released 2 reports this week at
the Conference on
> Educational
>      Technology.  "E-Rate & the Digital Divide" tells
that the
>      E-Rate program has provided more than $3 billion
for America's
>      public schools, that 3 out of 4 public schools &
districts
>      applied in the first 2 years, & that per-pupil
funding for
>      high-poverty schools was more than twice the
national average
>      & nearly 10 times that of the wealthiest schools.
> ...
>      "Another challenge for us: While much of the
funding for the
>      E-Rate has gone to high-poverty schools," he
said, "the
>      poorest of the poor are not yet benefiting as
much as they
>      should from the E-Rate.  Many of the poorest
schools can't
>      even afford the 10% match or can't overcome
other obstacles --
>      such as 19th-century school buildings -- that
prevent them
>      from taking advantage of 21st-century
technology."
>
>      The reports, speech, & conference papers are at
>      http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/09-2000/000911.html
>
>      ------------------------------------
>
> Philip Hyjek
> Information Technology Specialist
> VISMT
> Dillingham Hall
> 7 West  Street
> Montpelier, VT 05602
>
> 802.828.0063
> 802.828.0076 (fax)
> http://www.vismt.org