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SLD Strengthens Technology Plan Requirements
Message Posted October 21, 2003
As I previously mentioned, there are several changes being made to the E-rate program that will affect all applicants. This message deals specifically with the new rules regarding technology plans and what steps you may want to take to ensure you are compliant.
1) WHEN THE PLAN MUST BE COMPOSED
The E-rate rules have always required that technology plans be APPROVED before the start of services, and CERTIFIED as to who approved your plan on the Form 486. There was never clear guidance on when the plans actually had to be 'written', although the SLD had always said that the 470 filings (the form you use to competitively bid the services you are requesting) should be based on your technology plan. Although that guidance seems logical, it was never made to be a hard and fast rule because it is very difficult to implement because most schools and libraries post their 470s in the October/November/December time frame.
New Rule: The SLD said this year that the technology plan must be "written" before the 470 is submitted.
The deadline for submission for approval (whether it be by PDE, Commonwealth Libraries, Diocesan Offices, or other SLD-certified technology plan approvers), is still up to these approving entities. For the sake of the public schools, I can relay that in my conversations with PDE officials, they are making it clear that their deadline to have technology plans submitted to their office using the eTechPlanner system is still on or before April 30 of the year in which your plan is due. The SLD's rule on when the plans must be written by does not change the date in which your plan must be submitted to them.
This new rule is on the honor system.
2) WHAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN
The second major technology planning issue that was changed is the role of the technology plan itself. Traditionally, technology plan requirements in federal legislation were there to assure lawmakers that funding recipients had given some thought to technology and weren't entering into projects blindly. Because of the recent allegations of waste, fraud and abuse, the SLD/FCC has moved from the technology plan being a high-level document to a requirement that it be E-rate specific.
New Rule: The plan now must cover all services being requested, including such non-basic telecom services as Centrex, voice mail, etc. Effectively, the SLD is asking for a highly operational, rather than a strategic, plan. If you request the services on your 470, you should have these services included in your technology plan. Note: Basic local and long distance phone service is still not required to be included.
New Rule: The SLD would like to see either the technology plan budget or the School/Library budget show both the revenue sources and anticipated expenses sufficient to cover both the E-rate services requested and other resources needed to support these services (such as professional development, etc.) This is not a new requirement, but it does reflect added emphasis and does suggest additional application review criteria.
New Rule: And finally, all technology plans have long had a requirement for an "evaluation" component. The SLD is now stressing the need to monitor – and document – the applicant’s progress in meeting your plan's objectives.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR CURRENT TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT REACH THIS LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY?
If you are worried that your approved technology plan does not meet the SLD's new requirement that the technology plan supports your 470 description of services, you may amend your current plan. For details on the format to use, you should contact the entity that approved your technology plan. For public schools, PDE is in the process of developing a short, Word template that you can use if you feel it is necessary. The template should be available in the next few weeks and likely will be able to be downloaded, typed-into, and e-mailed back to PDE. It then will be filed as an attachment to your currently approved technology plan. I'll e-mail details when they're available.
The new technology plan rules and all other changes for Year 7 will be discussed in detail at both the Beginners and Veterans E-rate Training Workshops. There are still a few seats remaining at all locations, so if you haven't registered yet, please do so asap!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Julie Tritt Schell
jtschell@comcast.net
(717) 730.7133 (voice)
(717) 730.9060 (fax)
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