Bulletins

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — President Obama visited an innovative middle school in central North Carolina on Thursday to demonstrate the Internet-based education programs that he is proposing to make available nationwide.

Driven by new digital technologies, the future of learning is increasingly interactive, individualized, and full of real-world experiences and information. Unfortunately,the average school has about the same connectivity as the average American home, but serves 200 times as many users, and fewer than 20 percent of educators say their school’s internet connection meets their teaching needs. And our teachers do not get enough training and support to integrate technology in their classroom and lessons, despite the fundamental and increasing importance of those skills.

Pursuant to section 54.709(a)(3) of the Commission’s rules, on May 2, 2013, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) submitted projections of demand and administrative expenses for the federal universal service fund for the third quarter of 2013. According to USAC's projections, $450 million in unused funds from previous funding years is available to carry forward to increase disbursements to schools and libraries via the E-rate program, more formally known as the schools and libraries universal service program.3 Section 54.507(a)(3) of the Commission’s rules states that "[a]ll funds collected that are unused shall be carried forward into subsequent funding years for use in the [Erate program] in accordance with the public interest and notwithstanding the annual cap."

The purpose of this letter is to notify the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) that the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) approves the Schools and Libraries Funding Year (FY) 2013 Program Integrity Assurance (PTA) FCC Form 471 Review Procedures, dated November 13, 2012, subject to the edits we have previously discussed with your staff.

Federal Universal Service Support Mechanisms Fund Size Projections for Third Quarter 2013.

On September 13, 2012, and March 12, 2013, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued public notices soliciting nominations to fill seats on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The Bureau sought nominations for thirteen seats with expired terms or vacancies. The Commission received specific nominations for eleven of the thirteen seats on the Board, as well as two general nominations, as listed in the attached Appendix.

On April 2, 2013, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) released a public notice regarding a proposal to clarify the schools and libraries universal service support program (informally known as the E-rate program) requirements for bundling devices, equipment and services that are ineligible for E-rate support with E-rate eligible services and products.

Broadband Internet access could soon be added to an FCC program that subsidizes telephone services for low-income consumers. Three members of Congress have introduced the Broadband Adoption Act of 2013, which would add broadband access as an option to Lifeline, an FCC program started in 1985 to help people pay for telephones so they could connect to jobs, family, and emergency services.

USAC's estimate of demand for Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism discounts for Funding Year (FY) 2013 (July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014) is $4.986 billion. This estimate is based on total funds requested in 45,189 FCC Form 471 applications received or postmarked on or before March 14, 2013, the close of the FCC Form 471 filing window. A table showing demand by service type and discount band is attached to this letter.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Appoints Director of Digital Learning to Lead FCC Education Technology Initiatives.