CONNECTICUT EDUCATION NETWORK AND E-RATE

Topic:
COMPUTERS; EDUCATION (GENERAL); FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS; HIGHER EDUCATION; INTERNET; LIBRARIES; SCHOOLS (GENERAL); TELECOMMUNICATIONS;
Location:
EDUCATION - (GENERAL); TELECOMMUNICATIONS;

OLR Research Report


January 9, 2006		2006-R-0036
CONNECTICUT EDUCATION NETWORK AND E-RATE

By: Judith Lohman, Chief Analyst

You asked for (1) the status of the Connecticut Education Network's wiring project and (2) a copy of the section of the 1996 federal Telecommunications Act that established the Universal Service Fund (also known as “e-rate”) that helps pay for discounted telecommunications service for schools and libraries with the funding language highlighted.

CONNECTICUT EDUCATION NETWORK STATUS

The Connecticut Education Network (CEN) provides schools, libraries, and higher education institutions with high-speed Internet access, among other things. According to Rob Vietzke, CEN's co-program manager and network architect, connections were available in all K-12 school districts at the start of the 2005-06 school year.

A complete list of CEN connection sites appears in Table 1 below. The abbreviation “CTC SO” means community-technical college system office. According to Vietzke, the CTCs are currently steering all traffic through their system offices. A blank means the connection is not active for various local reasons not attributable to CEN. MAN means “municipal area network. ” This applies to certain libraries that are part of networks set-up by municipalities so CEN does not have to build a separate connection. CEN will be issuing a full report on its status later this month, before the start of the 2006 legislative session.

E-RATE

E-rate is the common name for the Universal Service Fund for Schools and Libraries, established by § 254 of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (copy attached). By law, all interstate telecommunications carriers pay contributions into the Universal Fund. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) directs payment from this central fund to support the schools and libraries program, as well as three other universal service programs.

Telecommunications companies required to contribute to the fund may recover the contributions directly from customers through a line-item charge on telephone bills. The FCC does not require this surcharge. Each company makes a business decision about whether and how to assess customers to recover its Universal Service Fund costs.

According to Rob Vietzke, CEN has received $ 5. 5 million per year from the E-rate program in each of the last two years and expects about the same contribution for 2006. The E-rate program provides 55% of the total cost of CEN's K-12 school program.

TABLE 1: CONNECTICUT EDUCATION NETWORK

Sites with Optical Connectivity

(1/1/06)

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Andover Elementary School	Andover	Active
Ansonia - Emmett Obrien VT	Ansonia	Active
Ansonia High School	Ansonia	Active
Ashford	Ashford	Active
Avon High School	Avon	Active
Barkhamsted	Barkhamsted	School Under Construction
Beacon Falls - Woodland Regional High	Beacon Falls	Active
Berlin Town Hall	Berlin	Active
Bethany - Amity Regional JR/SR High	Bethany	School Under Construction
Bethany Community School	Bethany	Active
Bethel High School	Bethel	Active
Bethlehem Elementary School	Bethlehem
Bloomfield Board of Ed	Bloomfield	Active
Bolton High School	Bolton

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Bozrah - Fields Memorial School	Bozrah	Active
Branford High School	Branford	Active
Bridgeport -Bullard Havens VT	Bridgeport	Active
Bridgeport Public Schools - Sheridan Middle School	Bridgeport	Active
Housatonic Community College	Bridgeport	CTC SO
St. Vincent's College	Bridgeport
State Police Troop G - CEN Hub Site	Bridgeport	Active
University of Bridgeport	Bridgeport	Active
Bridgewater Burnham School	Bridgewater	Active
Bristol Board of Education	Bristol	Active
Bristol Central High School	Bristol	Active
Bristol Eastern High School	Bristol	Active
Bristol Vo Tech	Bristol
Brookfield High School	Brookfield	Active
Brooklyn Middle School	Brooklyn	Active
Burlington - Louis Mills High School	Burlington	Active
Canaan- Region One High School	Canaan	Active
Lee H Kellogg School	Canaan
Dr. Helen Baldwin Middle School	Canterbury
Canton Senior High School	Canton	Active
Chaplin Elementary School	Chaplin	Active
Chaplin Parish Hill High School	Chaplin	Active
Cheshire Town Hall	Cheshire	Active
Chester Elementary School	Chester	Active
The Morgan School - Clinton	Clinton	Active
Colchester	Colchester	Active
Colebrook	Colebrook	Active
Columbia - Long River Middle School	Columbia	Active
Columbia - Saxton B. Little Library	Columbia	Active
Cornwall Consolidated School	Cornwall	Active
Coventry High School	Coventry	Active
Cromwell Middle School	Cromwell	Active
Danbury - Henry Abbott VT	Danbury	Active
Danbury Board of Education	Danbury	Active

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Danbury High School	Danbury	Active
Western Connecticut State Univ - CEN H	Danbury	Active
Darien Board of Education	Darien	Active
Deep River - John Winthrop Jr. High	Deep River	Active
Deep River Elementary School	Deep River	Active
Derby High School	Derby	Active
Durham - Cochinchaug Regional High	Durham	Active
East Granby	East Granby	Active
East Haddam	East Haddam	Active
East Hampton High School	East Hampton	Active
Department of Information Technology	East Hartford	Active
East Hartford Board of Education	East Hartford	Active
East Hartford High School	East Hartford	Active
East Hartford Two Rivers Magnet School	East Hartford	Active
Goodwin College	East Hartford
East Haven High School	East Haven	Active
East Lyme High School	East Lyme	Active
East Windsor Jr/Sr High	East Windsor	Active
Eastford	Eastford	Active
Easton Hellen Keller Middle School	Easton	Active
Ellington Middle School	Ellington	Active
Asnuntuck Community College - CEN Hub	Enfield	CTC SO
Enfield Fermi High School	Enfield	Active
Essex Elementary School	Essex	Active
Fairfield Board of Education	Fairfield	Active
Fairfield University	Fairfield	Active
Sacred Heart University	Fairfield	Active
Farmington High School	Farmington
Farmington Public Library	Farmington
Tunxis Community College	Farmington
UConn Health Center	Farmington	Active
Franklin Elementary School	Franklin	Active
Glastonbury High School	Glastonbury	Active
Goshen Center School	Goshen

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Granby Board of Education	Granby	Active
Greenwich Board of Education	Greenwich
Griswold Senior High	Griswold	Active
Groton - UConn Avery Point	Groton	Active
Groton Board of Education	Groton	Active
Grasso Vo Tech School	Groton	Active
Mystic Aquarium	Groton	Active
Guilford	Guilford	Active
Haddam Killingworth High	Haddam	Active
ACES RESC	Hamden	Active
Eli Whitney Vo Tech School	Hamden	Active
Hamden High School	Hamden	Active
Quinnipiac College	Hamden	Active
Southern Connecticut State Univ - CEN HHamden		Active
Hampton Elementary School	Hampton
AI Prince Votech	Hartford	Active
Capitol Community College	Hartford	CTC SO
Connecticut Public Affairs Network - CTN Hartford		Active
Connecticut Public Broadcasting - CPTV Hartford		Active
Hartford - CREC Data Center	Hartford	Active
Hartford - CREC Middle Magnet School Hartford		Active
Hartford Board of Education	Hartford	Active
Hartford Public Library	Hartford	Active
Legislative Office Building	Hartford	Active
Rensellaer Hartford	Hartford	Active
Trinity College	Hartford	Active
UConn Law School	Hartford	Active
UConn School of Business Constitution PHartford		Active
Hartland	Hartland	Active
Harwinton Consolidated School	Harwinton	Active
Hebron - RHAM High School	Hebron	Active
Kent	Kent	Active
Killingly High School	Killingly	Active
Killingworth Elementary	Killingworth	Active

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Lebanon	Lebanon	Active
Ledyard	Ledyard	Active
Lisbon Center School	Lisbon	Active
Litchfield - RESC / Ed Connection	Litchfield	Active
Litchfield High/Intermediate School	Litchfield	Active
Litchfield Hub Site - Troop L Public SafetyLitchfield		Active
Warmogo RHS Regional High	Litchfield
Lyme	Lyme
Lyme Academy of the Arts	Lyme
Madison	Madison
Manchester - Howell Cheney VT	Manchester	Active
Manchester Board of Education	Manchester	Active
Manchester Community College	Manchester	CTC SO
Mansfield - UConn Babbidge Hub Site Mansfield		Active
Mansfield - UConn Chemistry Hub Site) Mansfield		Active
Mansfield EO Smith Region 19 High SchoMansfield
Mansfield Public Schools (Town Hall)	Mansfield	Active
UConn Depot Campus	Mansfield	Active
Marlborough	Marlborough	Active
Department of Public Safety HQ - CEN Hub	Meriden	Active
HC Wilcox Vo Tech	Meriden	Active
Meriden Town Hall	Meriden	Active
Middlebury Bibliomation Library Center	Middlebury
Middlebury Board of Education	Middlebury	Active
Middlefield Memorial School	Middlefield	Active
Middlesex Community College	Middletown	CTC SO
Libraries Online	Middletown	Active
Wesleyan University	Middletown	Active
Middletown High School	Middletown	Active
Middletown - Vinal Vo Tech	Middletown	Active
Platt Vo Tech	Milford	Active
Milford Board of Education	Milford	Active
Monroe Board of Education	Monroe	Active
Montville High School	Montville	Active

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
James Morris School	Morris
Naugatuck High School	Naugatuck	Active
Central Connecticut State Univ - CEN Hub	New Britain	Active
Charter Oak State College	New Britain	Active
Goodwin Vo Tech	New Britain	Active
Slade Middle School	New Britain	Active
New Canaan Town Hall	New Canaan	Active
New Fairfield High School	New Fairfield	Active
New Hartford Antolini High	New Hartford	Active
Albertus Magnus College	New Haven	Active
New Haven Board of Education	New Haven	Active
Yale University	New Haven	Active
Connecticut College	New London	Active
Mitchell College	New London
New London Board of Education	New London
UConn Avery Point	New London	Active
US Coast Guard Academy	New London	Active
New Milford Board of Education	New Milford	Active
Newington Town Hall	Newington	Active
Newtown High School	Newtown	Active
Botelle Elementary School	Norfolk	Active
North Branford High School	North Branford	Active
North Canaan Elementary School	North Canaan	Active
Gateway North Haven	North Haven	CTC SO
North Haven High School	North Haven	School Under Construction
Wheeler High School - North Stonington	North Stonington	Active
Norwalk Board of Education	Norwalk	Active
Norwalk Community College	Norwalk	CTC SO
Three Rivers Community College	Norwich	CTC SO
Norwich Board of Education	Norwich	Active
Norwich Free Academy	Norwich
Norwich VT	Norwich	Active
LEARN - RESC	Old Lyme	Active
Old Lyme High School	Old Lyme	Active

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Old Saybrook	Old Saybrook	Active
Amity Regional Jr. High	Orange	School Under Construction
Orange - Mary Tracy School	Orange	Active
Oxford - Great Oak School	Oxford	Active
Plainfield - Danielson VT	Plainfield	Active
Plainfield Early Childhood Center / Board Plainfield	Plainfield	Active
Plainville High School	Plainville	Active
Plymouth Terryville High School	Plymouth
Pomfret Community School	Pomfret	Active
Portland	Portland	Active
Preston	Preston
Prospect	Prospect	Active
Putnam	Putnam	Active
Redding Joel Barlow High School	Redding	Active
Ridgefield	Ridgefield	Active
Rocky Hill High School	Rocky Hill	Active
Booth Free School	Roxbury	Active
Salem School	Salem	Active
Salisbury Central Schools	Salisbury	Active
Scotland Elementary Schools	Scotland	Active
Seymour High School	Seymour	School Under Construction
Sharon	Sharon	Active
Shelton High School	Shelton	Active
Sherman School	Sherman	Active
Simsbury High School	Simsbury	Active
Somers Middle School	Somers	Active
South Windsor High School	South Windsor
Southbury High School	Southbury
State Police Troop A - CEN Hub	Southbury	Active
Southington	Southington	Active
Sprague - Sayles School	Sprague	Active
Stafford	Stafford	Active
J. M. Wright Vo Tech	Stamford	Active
Stamford Board of Ed	Stamford

Table 1: Continued

*Site*	*Town*	*Status*
Stamford Public Libraries	Stamford	Active
UConn Stamford - CEN Hub Site	Stamford	Active
Sterling Memorial School	Sterling	Active
Stonington High School	Stonington	Active
Sikorsky Vo Tech	Stratford	Active
Stratford Board of Education	Stratford	Active
Suffield Town Hall	Suffield
Thomaston High School	Thomaston
Thompson	Thompson	Active
Tolland High	Tolland	Active
Torrington High School	Torrington	Active
Wolcott VT Torrington	Torrington	Active
Trumbull - CES	Trumbull	Active
Trumbull Board of Ed	Trumbull	Active
Union	Union	Active
Rockville High School / Vernon	Vernon	Active
Voluntown	Voluntown	Active
Sheehan High School / Wallingford	Wallingford	Active
Warren	Warren	Active
Shepaug Valley High	Washington