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E-Rate assists schools

Communications News, July, 2005

Much has been expected of the E-Rate program, created as a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to ensure that schools and librarie have affordable access to advanced telecommunications services. For many, however, reality has not met expectations.

Some school districts, however, have been taking advantage of the funding opportunity. St. Landry Parish School Board, for example, has embarked on an ambitious project to link the 39 schools in the parish, as well as the parish school board office, with a high-speed, fiber-optic network.

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Under the E-Rate program, discounts ranging from 20% to 90% on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections are provided to eligible schools and libraries. E-Rate--more precisely the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism-is funded through a universal service fee charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications services.

Because of E-Rate, most of the 15,000 students in St. Landry Parish can now access more than 20,000 educational video clips on a wide variety of topics from the Web. They can also complete Internet research projects faster than before, and the school board office has gained efficiencies and was able to consolidate equipment, thereby reducing costs.

"St. Landry is the first parish in southwest Louisiana to embark on such an undertaking, and we are extremely pleased with the results," says Eddie Landry, computer technician/operations data processing for the school board. "Speed is the key. Our new network, installed by BellSouth, provides speeds of up to 100 megabits per second."

Currently, the school board office in Opelousas and the 34 schools located in areas served by BellSouth are connected to the fiber-optic network. Pending approval of E-Rate funding this summer, the remaining five schools in areas served by CenturyTel will be linked to the network early next year. About 85% of the cost of this $3.5 million project-including equipment, installation and five years of service-was covered by E-Rate funding.

Technology Industry

E-Rate assists schools

Communications News, July, 2005

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