USAC will be opening a second application window for the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) on September 28, 2021. This will be a short two-week window that will close on October 13, 2021. The California Department of Education (CDE) and California K-12 High Speed Network (K12HSN) will be hosting a webinar, Emergency Connectivity Fund Updates and Second Application Window Tips, on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at noon.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that the total demand for the first Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) application window is $5.137 billion out of the available $7.17 billion in program funds. Because of the short timeframe of the first application window, and the demand is below the cap, the FCC will open a second application window from September 28 to October 13, 2021. This application window will be for eligible expenditures to support remote learning during the 2021/2022 fiscal period. You may view the announcement at this website: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-over-5-billion-emergency-connectivity-fund-requests.

The first application window for the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) closed Friday, August 13, 2021. While nationwide data is not available at this time, California public schools applied for approximately $712 million, a little over 10% of the $7.17 billion in available funds. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may announce additional application window(s) to come, if funds are available. The FCC set targets for the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) in processing ECF applications; it expects USAC to process 50% by September 12 and 70% by November 21.

Friday, August 13, 2021, is the Deadline to File Applications for the Emergency Connectivity Fund Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), a temporary federal funding program available to E-rate eligible schools. ECF program funds may reimburse schools for the purchase of internet service and laptops or tablets necessary for students and teachers to participate remote learning activities away from school. August 13, 2021, is the deadline to file applications for ECF funding for purchases made between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the application window for the new Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). The 45-day application window will open June 29, 2021 and will close August 13, 2021. The FCC will host a public information session on the Emergency Connectivity Fund on Friday, June 25 @ 11 a.m. PT. The event will stream live at  fcc.gov/live. Questions can be sent in advance to ECFwebinar@fcc.gov. More information on ECF may be found on the FCC’s website at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund.

The California Department of Education in partnership with the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), CCSESA Technology Steering Committee (TSC), CITE and K12HSN are hosting a webinar Friday, June 18, 2021, at 10 am to discuss K-12 Cybersecurity and MS-ISAC Membership at No Cost to LEAs.

Federal Communications Commission Releases Rules for New COVID-19 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program On May 11, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released rules for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), a temporary federal program to enable schools to purchase internet service and laptops or tablets to connect students and school staff that lack adequate access necessary to support remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

California Department of Education to Hold a Webinar on Friday, May 14, 2021, to Review the Emergency Broadband Benefit and Emergency Connectivity Fund Programs The Federal Communications Commission is launching two new programs designed to financially support broadband access and devices for students and low-income families through the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program will provide up to $50 per month towards home internet service for eligible low-income families and up to $75 per month for families on Tribal lands. The EBB program also may provide a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating internet providers. The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) will enable schools to purchase internet service and laptops or tablets to connect students and school staff that lack adequate broadband access necessary to support remote learning. The California Department of Education will be holding an informational webinar on Friday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific to review these programs and how they can assist California's schools in closing the digital divide. You may sign up by e-mailing digitaldivide@cde.ca.gov.

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) issued its first funding wave for applications approved for the 2021 funding year on April 17, 2021. Since that date, USAC has issued a total of three waves, for a total commitment of $80.8 million for California’s schools and libraries. For 2021 thus far, 31.5% of Category 1 and 5.5% of Category 2 funds requested have been committed. USAC typically issues funding waves on a weekly basis on Thursday evenings and posts details of the commitments on its website, which is searchable by wave number and state: https://data.usac.org/publicreports/SearchCommitments/Search/SearchByYear/2021.

In the American Rescue Act, recently enacted in March, Congress allocated $7.17 billion to create a new Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to be administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). This funding is intended to reimburse schools and libraries for expenditures they have incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to provide broadband access to students, staff, and library patrons at locations other than a school or library. Eligible expenses may include: • Broadband service • Equipment such as WiFi hotspots, modems, and routers required to deliver broadband service • End user devices such as laptops and tablets The FCC is currently developing the rules for this program and has initiated a public comment process. Final rules will likely be issued in early May and an application window opened by USAC in the summer. The FCC’s public notice may be viewed at this website: https://www.fcc.gov/fcc-seeks-comment-emergency-connectivity-fund-educational-devices-and-connectio….