Blue Ridge receives E-Rate funding for technology upgrades

Blue Ridge receives E-Rate funding for technology upgrades

Blue Ridge Elementary School has been awarded an $85,827 E-Rate grant to provide modern technology network equipment to the school which serves 309 elementary students and 217 preschool students. The upgrades include a wireless environment throughout the building with limited outdoor coverage. The grant covers 90 percent of the cost of the project. The district will fund the remaining 10 percent, which is approximately $10,000.

“This project will be moved forward as quickly as possible,” said district Network Engineer Rick Pummel. “We hope to have it completed by the end of the summer.”

Blue Ridge qualified for the E-rate grant based on its high percentage of students receiving free or reduced payment meal benefits which range in the area of 90 percent. The district applied for E-rate funding for five schools, but the other four were denied due to lower Free and Reduced Price meal count percentages. The news of the Blue Ridge grant award has administrators and staff excited for the technology advancements.

“This is fabulous news and will make life much easier for preschool data entry,” said Head Start/ECEAP Director Kerri Coffman.

Superintendent Mick Miller is also appreciative of the grant and to those who made it become a reality.

“Thank you to Technology Director Kirk Jameson and the tech crew for their work putting the application together,” Miller said. “We are thrilled to have wireless at Blue Ridge next fall!”

E-Rate Program: Source – U.S. Department of Education
Discounted Telecommunications Services: Non-profit private schools — along with public schools, and libraries — can receive discounted telecommunications services through the E-rate program.
The E-rate program is administered by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The program was set up in 1997 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a Universal Service Order implementing the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Order was designed to ensure that all eligible schools and libraries have affordable access to modern telecommunications and information services. Up to $2.25 billion annually is available to provide eligible schools and libraries with discounts under the E-rate program for authorized services.