Schools and libraries are able to benefit from the E-rate program sooner than in years past. A new report examines information from E-rate Funding Years 2005, 2006, and 2007. The Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company (SLD) is issuing E-rate funding commitments more efficiently, and disbursing E-rate funds at a faster rate. Reads the report:

The SLD's mission to provide administration and oversight to the E-rate program has continually increased in complexity since its inception. In addition to rule changes mandated by the FCC there has been a great deal of attention paid to each phase of the E-rate process to guard against waste, fraud, and abuse. In spite of these challenges, it appears that two core functions of the program examined here-approving funding requests and disbursing funds-are both being performed with increased efficiency each year.

During the first twelve months after the close of the Form 471 Filing Window, the SLD increased its issuance of funding commitments from one year to the next.  The amount of funding committed increased from an average of $85 Million per month for Funding Year 2005, to more than $110 Million per month in Funding Year 2007.

Greater disbursement efficiency is also apparent when comparing the pace of E-rate disbursements for the first six months of the same funding years. In the first six months of Funding Year 2005, the SLD authorized just over $54 Million in disbursements.  That number grew to more than $141 Million in the first six months of 2007.

Funds For Learning, a company that helps schools comply with e-rate guidelines, wrote the report.

To download a full copy of the report, visit http://www.fundsforlearning.com/content/view/994/.