PSS bats for 89% E-rate discount

The Public School System is requesting the US Schools and Libraries Division for an 89 percent telecommunications discount under its new E-rate application package.

In filing for a fresh E-rate discount, PSS hopes to secure this year access to additional funds that would make possible the establishment of a local area network to electronically connect all schools in the CNMI.

PSS E-rate coordinator Nic Sablan said yesterday the increase in the percentage discount for 2001 is due to the high turnout of the E-rate surveys conducted on CNMI students eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Price School Lunch Program, as well as other poverty programs.

The school system obtained survey returns averaging 75 percent after aggregating survey responses by school district, according to Mr. Sablan.

In order to produce a significant head count of students participating in the federal lunch program, at least 50 percent of students must submit the survey forms.

“The schools really did their part and that’s why we were able to come up with 89 percent,” he added.

The pegged percentage discount is eyed to subsidize the costs of PSS’ telecommunications (telephones, long distance, cellular, pagers), Internet access, and internal connection costs.

Of the three, internal wiring is the hardest to obtain, according to Mr. Sablan.

With the growing number of E-rate applicants, which now stand at 36,000 school districts from all throughout the mainland US and territories, SLD may adjust or raise the percentage discounts that would cover even internal wiring or the installation of LAN.

“Since our application last year was approved at below 81 percent, we were not able to get internal connection. This year, we re-submitted our application for that,” he added.

After recently submitting its application package, PSS expects SLD to thoroughly review its discount proposal in anticipation of the federal grant notification in May.

E-rate or education rate is the federal discount program for telecommunications services created through the Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 1996.

Meanwhile, PSS is set to implement this month the next phase of its three-fold E-rate installation masterplan.

The system-wide network infrastructure is anticipated to be equivalent to the formidable system used by the United States Airforce and the Navy.

In the entire Pacific region, American Samoa is the sole entity equipped with such facility funded through an E-rate telecommunications discount. The CNMI may soon be comparable with American Samoa once the $10,000 server is put in place.