Management

What to Know About How Less Funding Might Affect K–12 This School Year

With fewer federal dollars in hand, school leaders will need to look elsewhere to fill the gap.

Dave LeNard is CDW’s E-Rate manager. He previously worked on the E-Rate program at the Universal Service Administrative Co. for 13 years.

Curtiss Strietelmeier

Curtiss Strietelmeier is a K–12 analyst for CDW•G. He spent two years as an elementary teacher, two years as an educational trainer, 10 years as a director of technology and six years as a school superintendent.

The big, once-in-a-lifetime Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund bonanza is now officially over, and that loss could be particularly tough for K–12 students and teachers who rely on educational technology. No longer flush with federal funds, schools will now need to make very tough decisions for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond as they revisit their pre-pandemic funding strategies.

It’s not all bad news. While we probably won’t see much federal help in the way of device funding, and we will lose some money for professional development, the federal government has already earmarked funds to support school safety, mental health, cybersecurity and Wi-Fi in K–12. But with a drastically diminished funding landscape for the coming school year, educators cannot afford to miss deadlines or miss important steps, so preparation will be key.

Click the banner to learn how partners can help improve the management of your device ecosystem.

E-Rate Can Help Fund Bus Wi-Fi, Hotspots, Cybersecurity and More

Let’s start with E-Rate, which continues to be one of the largest federal funding sources for K–12. With a service delivery deadline for E-Rate of Sept. 30, 2024, schools should make sure they have properly used all of their 2023 funding commitments. Looking ahead, all funding year 2024 commitments must be used by Sept. 30, 2025.

The E-Rate Form 470 window opened on July 1, 2024; the application Form 471 window should open in early January and close in mid-March. Schools should have their 471 form completed by mid-February. But the 470 form is crucial because it is essentially a request for proposals that allows schools to shop for technology partners. After completing the form, schools will need to wait 28 days, and then select vendors. After this, they can move forward with ordering the services they’ve already committed to, or they can continue replying to any open inquiries from the Universal Service Administrative Co.

It’s important to note that 2025 is a use-it-or-lose-it year for Category Two budgets. Schools should also start planning for their funding year 2025 E-Rate applications.

And if your school hasn’t already started preparing for the Federal Communications Commission’s cybersecurity pilot program — which opens to applicants on Sept. 17 and runs through Nov. 1 of this year — read this article for more information.

There’s some additional good news about E-Rate this year: Hotspots and bus Wi-Fi are now eligible as a funded Category One service. These are the only off-campus services eligible for E-Rate, and they will allow schools to get discounts and reimbursement for these critical learning tools and services. USAC is still updating the new 470 Form to include the final rules for hotspots; however, schools can start planning for these devices today.

States Have a Crucial Role in Financing Educational Technology

Prior to 2020, many schools funded their educational technology through bonds or referendums, and going forward, many will need to revisit that strategy. Schools should also turn to their states to fill any funding gaps.

For example, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed a $23 billion education budget into law with a record-high amount dedicated to classroom funding. Ohio, meanwhile, is estimating a $13.39 billion investment in education for FY 2025.

So, as part of their back-to-school plans, K–12 leaders should be researching state grants and other state-level funding and start preparing to go after those resources.

Plan Ahead to Take Advantage of These Other Federal Programs

From a federal standpoint, the biggest funding sources for schools will come through the Title programs. Title I is directed at at-risk students. Title II is professional development funding. What happens next with these programs will depend on the upcoming elections, but we shouldn’t expect the traditional growth we’ve seen in those two categories to continue. In fact, Congress is already aiming to trim Title II by $2.19 billion.

The Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grants , which can be used to pay for student laptops and Wi-Fi, are a great option for schools located in rural communities. The application window typically opens in December, so now is a good time to start looking at the requirements for the program and see how your school might qualify for that funding.

The School Violence Prevention Program usually opens in late March or early April. The program offers a significant amount of money for school safety, but schools need to start planning now. To strengthen their applications, schools should have an updated safety plan and should meet with their local police departments for additional insight.

It’s a fact of life that funding environments tend to fluctuate, and that can bring unpleasant changes. However, we must continue to prepare our students to contribute to a digital future that will demand a highly skilled and innovative workforce. This requires ensuring that today’s students in our modern classrooms do not lose access to the tools they will need. So, don’t wait. Plan now.

This article is part of the ConnectIT: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Technology series.