Technology Plans - 2012-2015

If an LEA is filing for Priority 1 category goods and services in "Telecommunications Services" and "Internet access services:"

• This is the filing that DTI has typically done for the LEAs. ALL State LEAs participate in this aspect of eRate.
• No technology plan is required
• The LEA must be CIPA compliant.
• The LEA must have an internet safety curriculum that educates students on "appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking web sites and in chat rooms and cyber bullying awareness and response."
• The LEA must have a school board-approved Internet Safety Policy to reflect that they are CIPA compliant AND have adopted and are teaching the required Internet safety curriculum.
• You can visit the USAC Eligible Service List for a complete listing of services in the category of Internet access (http://www.universalservice.org/sl/tools/eligible-services-list)

If an LEA is filing for Priority 2 category goods and services (internal connections and basic maintenance on internal connections)*:

• • They MUST have a technology plan.
  • The prior plan format is acceptable but that plan no longer requires a budget resources section.
  • The new plan must be Written and Submitted BEFORE the Form 470 is filed. The plan approval can be dated later but BEFORE SERVICE begins July 1, 2013. Plan must cover 2 years. (July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015).
  • Items you intend to fund with eRate funds MUST appear in your technology plan.
  • If you would like to file the Form 470 (Description of Services Requested and Certification Form) prior to your technology plan being approved, you must do the following:
    • Draft a technology plan that covers year 1: July 1, 2013 - June 20, 2014; all sections must be included.
    • Email the plan to Wendy Modzelewski to establish a valid date for plan creation that is PRIOR TO the filing of your Form 470. No evaluation will be conducted by the DDOE; this will merely establish that your plan was created prior to filing.
    • Submit your Form 470 to the USAC.
    • Work on finalizing your technology plan and submit it for approval by May 1, 2013.
  • For the Form 471 (Services Ordered and Certification Form)
    • The applicant will certify that they have a technology plan (if one is required) covering the entire funding year.
  • The technology plan must be approved by the DDOE prior to the start of service (Usually July 1 of the funding year) and prior to the filing of the Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation Form) (which must be filed after the Form 471 funding requests are approved - 120 days from the start of service or receipt of the Funding Commitment Decision Letter - whichever is later).

  *Note that dates have been updated for filing during the 2012-2013 school year. Filing will be for TWO years in order to bring all plans into the Department of Education approval cycle.

All LEAs (both public and non-public) are required to submit an up-to-date technology plan according to their needs. The plan will be in effect until 2015. The technology plan controls how your E-Rate monies may be spent, so carefully consider making any future expenditures of E-Rate funds as part of your plan. All public schools receive phone and internet services so they must participate in E-rate. All districts must have either approved, updated technology plan on file to continue participating in the E-Rate discount program for Priority 2 Services and must have an updated Internet Safety Policy on file with the DDOE.

The Delaware Department of Education is an "approving entity" for these technology plans. Once a plan is submitted and approved, the district will receive a certificate that will be valid for three years.