Bulletins

By SHANNON DININNY, Associated Press Writer Shannon Dininny, Associated Press Writer Mon Apr 5, 4:32 pm ET. STEHEKIN, Wash. – This remote outpost in the rugged Cascades is so cut off from the outside world that it has no roads leading to town and little telephone service. The 80-or-so locals relish the isolation and pristine beauty and sell it as an escape to tourists.

With large portions of the country crippled by snowstorms - and a forecast for more snow later this week - USAC has extended the Form 471 application window for FY 2010 eight days until Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

In its role helping the nation’s schools connect to the Internet and other telecommunications services, the E-rate has been among the most consistent of federal programs. But perhaps too consistent, educators and experts say.

At the center of this case is a part of the FCC's Universal Service program, known as the Schools and Libraries program, or E-Rate for short. Funded by a Universal Service fee placed on telecommunications [592 F.3d 1061] providers (and generally passed along to consumers), the Universal Service program is designed to promote telecommunications access for low-income, rural, high-cost, or otherwise underserved communities. See 47 U.S.C. § 254. As its official name implies, E-Rate uses its portion of Universal Service funding to finance telecommunications projects at school and libraries.

WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission ran into a potential setback Friday in its push to draft rules that would require Internet providers to give equal treatment to all data flowing over their networks.

FCC proposes web-safety education rules e-Rate applicants would have to certify that they are teaching students about internet safety, according to a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

As part of its efforts to develop a National Broadband Plan, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments about how the e-Rate program can be improved to meet the broadband needs of schools and libraries -- and how it might play a role in delivering or stimulating the adoption of broadband service within communities.

WASHINGTON - The national stimulus package passed by Congress in February may have been too enthusiastic about spending money on one particular project: figuring out where broadband Internet access is available and how fast it is.

Judge Patricia Thomas ordered Thursday a final judgment in favor of the Citrus County School District for approximately $106,300, according to Citrus County School District attorney Wes Bradshaw.

With more than $7 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act set aside for increasing broadband access in the United States, the stimulus presents a huge opportunity for schools and communities to help close the digital divide.

The libraries in Delaware County, Pa., are trying to shift into warp speed. The county is hooking eight branches to a fiber-optic network to help meet library patrons' ever-rising demand for high-bandwidth tasks like streaming educational videos and uploading online resumes.

WASHINGTON, April 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The former owner of three Kansas computer service companies and a family member were indicted for participating in a conspiracy to defraud the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) E-Rate program, the Department of Justice announced today. The owner also was charged with making false statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to obtain housing assistance.

BRATTLEBORO -- Many of the state's public schools are not using a special account that was set up to fund technology projects and the Department of Education wants to know why.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A Utah-based company that provides public Internet access to the Navajo Nation plans to shut off the tribe's service Monday, leaving thousands of Navajos without online access to do school work, post community announcements or communicate with others across the 27,000 square-mile reservation.

WASHINGTON — A former education consultant from California was sentenced to serve 7½ years in prison for rigging bids and defrauding the E-Rate program, the Department of Justice announced. Judy N. Green, of Temecula, Calif., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in San Francisco after a jury found her guilty on 22 counts of fraud, bid rigging, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to technology projects funded by the E-Rate Program. The projects were at schools in seven states–Arkansas, California, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of the E-Rate Service Providers Association (ESPA) will now have access to a state-of-the-art E-Rate online reporting and data tool as a result of a new licensing agreement between ESPA and E-Rate Central announced today.

Promoting Dialogue with Beneficiaries The Site Visit Outreach Initiative provides USAC with rich opportunities to interact with and learn from beneficiaries of Universal Service Fund support. Lessons taken from site visits help USAC enhance the application process, improve oversight over beneficiaries’ compliance with program rules, and introduce improvements to program administration practices. Site visit recipients receive support in fulfilling program requirements and provide substantive feedback on their experiences as USF beneficiaries.

WASHINGTON —A federal jury in San Francisco today convicted a former sales representative in California for her role in schemes to defraud the federal E-Rate program, announced the Department of Justice. Judy Green, of Temecula, Calif., was convicted on all charges in a 22-count indictment involving fraud, collusion, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy in connection with E-Rate projects at schools in seven states–Arkansas, California, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Americans understand that fundamental changes must be made to the U.S. educational system if the country is to remain competitive in the 21st century, a report released by Cisco found. Americans especially realize the importance of adopting information technology to upgrade schools, connect communities and improve educational content, but they are often conflicted about these changes.

The Universal Service Fund (USF) provides funding for four support programs—High Cost, Low Income, Rural Health Care, and Schools and Libraries. The USF continues to bring access to communications technology to millions of Americans. This access has made a real difference for citizens and communities across this country. The USF is funded by contributions from providers of telecommunications and telecommunications services, including wireless and interconnected Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers. USAC administers the USF at the direction of the FCC.