Tuesday, August 30, 2005

We need your help with an online E-Rate Survey of Schools

The State E-Rate Coordinators' Alliance (SECA) has just developed an online E-Rate Survey of Schools, which asks questions we don't think have ever been included in any prior survey. The survey consists of 28 straightforward questions and they estimate that it should take between 10 - 15 minutes to complete. It's being asked of all schools in the country, with each state then analyzing their own schools' data. The survey will close at 8:00 p.m. EST, Wednesday, September 7. If we are going to maintain the $2.25 billion E-rate program, we need to have clear data to present to the policymakers that are thinking that the program isn't successful and is not vitally needed.

Please complete the survey only if your district completes the Form 471 (the billed entity), regardless of whether individual schools within that district apply separately.

What will happen to the data? All contact and identifying information will be kept confidential; it’s being collected in order for the State E-Rate coordinators to contact the schools if they have any questions and to determine if duplicate responses were submitted. Please know that the individual responses will be kept confidential, except where indicated. The data will be compiled and analyzed to determine areas for program improvement, the ongoing need for E-Rate, etc. They also hope to compile the aggregated data which we'll make available for everyone to see. The survey is located at: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB224KB8TD3EW