Published Monday, Jan. 21, 2002
FARRELL, WHEATLAND
Funds sought to upgrade technologyBy Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer
Farrell school officials have applied for five separate E-rate grants to upgrade technology at both of school buildings, and subsidize telephone and Internet access bills.
The federal E-rate program, funded by a charge on telephone bills, is designed to give eligible schools and libraries affordable access to advanced telecommunications services.
Schools and libraries can receive discounts of 20 percent to 90 percent on phone bills, Internet access and internal connections.
Farrell is eligible for a 90-percent discount based on its percentage of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program and its designation as an urban school.
Farrell is seeking more than $250,000 for internal connections, and could save more than $30,000 a year on phone and Internet access bills.
Stephen L. Bennefield, Farrell's technology support technician, said Farrell applied for funds for these projects:
Phone calls would be able to be switched between buildings and Hetra employees would have direct-dial numbers and voice mail.
The Hetra building became eligible for E-rate funding when officials moved kindergartners there in 1999. E-rate serves grades kindergarten through 12.
- New network switches at the elementary-high school complex, beefing up a rapidly depleting inventory. The $130,000 project would cost the district $13,000.
- New network servers at the elementary-high school complex. The project would cost $60,000, with the district picking up $6,000.
- Wireless Internet access. The district would pick up $400 of $4,000 installation charge and $99 of a monthly fee of $989. The district pays $955 a month for Internet access.
- Telephone bills. The district is paying about $2,100 a month and would end up paying about $210.
E-rate funds are doled out for telephone bills -- long distance and local -- first, followed by Internet access, and then internal connections, Bennefield said.
"Since we're a 90 percent district, we have the first chance of getting these funds," he said of the internal connection money. "We stand a good chance of getting everything."
If funded, Farrell will contract with a company to install the internal connections and can set up a payment plan to pay back its costs.
Farrell previously received an $996,906 E-rate grant in 1998, for a phone system aand computer networking. The district must reapply annually for phone and Internet discounts, something it has not done for two years.