Idaho State Department of Education

E-rate covers a portion of the monthly cost for broadband. The portion left is the after E-rate portion, and this is what would be reimbursed by SDE.

To receive broadband reimbursement, entities must:

1. Be an E-rate eligible entity as defined in Idaho Code §33-5602(1)(c)¹
2. Make a good-faith effort to apply for and receive E-rate funding
3. Follow applicable state procurement law and E-rate competitive bidding requirements
4. Supply all requested broadband information and documents to SDE
5. Provide bandwidth utilization data to SDE

¹ E-rate eligible entities include Idaho public schools, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, education programs within the Department of Juvenile Corrections, the School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the Idaho public libraries.

The Education Opportunity Resource Committee (EORC) sets the maximum reimbursable bandwidth amount, which is currently 1 Mbps per user. Users are the total number of students and employees.

For example, if an entity has 200 users, the maximum reimbursable amount of bandwidth is 200 Mbps.

If you purchase 150 Mbps, your entity would be under the maximum and would be reimbursed the after E-rate portion for 150 Mbps.

If you purchase 200 Mbps, your entity would be over the maximum and would need to appeal to the EORC for reimbursement.

The cost of anything over the maximum of 1 Mbps per user is ineligible for reimbursement.

For example, if an entity has 200 users, it would only be reimbursed for 200 Mbps. The cost of anything over 200 Mbps would be ineligible for reimbursement.

Yes. Entities can submit a written appeal and any supporting documentation to SDE, which will then present the appeal at the next scheduled EORC meeting.

If the EORC denies the written appeal, the entity can make an in-person or phone appeal at the next scheduled EORC meeting.

As outlined in Idaho Code §33-5604(3), SDE and the EORC “use the bandwidth utilization data to determine the level of internet services necessary for entities, and entities shall cooperate with the EORC and SDE in carrying out this duty.”

In simpler terms, SDE and the EORC use the data to plan future budget requests (if entities purchase more bandwidth at a higher cost, SDE has to request more funding for the reimbursements) and to support entities in determining their bandwidth needs.

The data helps SDE see usage trends and predict how much bandwidth entities may need to purchase based on current usage.

Yes, an entity may increase its bandwidth without seeking approval from SDE, but must seek approval if it wants to be reimbursed for the increased cost of this new bandwidth.

For the process for requesting a broadband reimbursement increase, refer to Broadband Reimbursement Increases.

The Broadband Program is capable of providing technical support for your IVC system. Contact Mike Costa at (208) 332-6992 or by email at mcosta@sde.idaho.gov for assistance.

Special construction is any new fiber (or fiber-equivalent) project that connects E-rate eligible entities to high-speed broadband connectivity that meets the FCC’s long-term capacity broadband goals.

Examples would be installing fiber (or fiber-equivalent) to deliver synchronous broadband directly from an internet service provider and/or installing fiber (or fiber-equivalent) between an entity’s buildings (a wide-area network or WAN).

For more detail on special construction, visit the E-rate fiber webpage.

The FCC adopted rules providing for additional Category One funding to match state funding for special construction projects that meet the FCC’s long-term capacity broadband goals. The E-rate program will now match up to 10% for approved special construction projects that have been awarded state matching funds.

For more detail on the state matching provision, visit the E-rate state matching provision webpage.

Idaho Code §33-910 created the Broadband Infrastructure Improvement Grant (BIIG) Fund. This fund provides the state matching funds for special construction projects.

For more detail on BIIG, see the BIIG Overview.

The EORC makes budget and policy recommendations to SDE regarding the broadband and related needs of all E-rate eligible entities.

As required by statute, the EORC is required to meet at least once quarterly. Meeting notices, agendas and meeting minutes are posted above on this webpage.