This subsidy is available for public districts, JVSDs, ESCs, community schools, nonpublic schools, and Ohio Schools for the Blind and the Deaf. Applicants must have filed E-Rate in February through June and complete the Building Connectivity and Technology Confirmation. Eligible buildings must be instructing kindergarten through grade 12 students; reported ADM in prior school year; and have a connection to the Internet that meets a minimum bandwidth. Eligible buildings received subsidy in two payments: one in the fall and the other in the spring.
Click on the “plus sign” to read more about these topics.
Q: Where can I find the allowable expenditures for this subsidy?
A: The allowable expenditures are explained at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance-and-Funding/Programs/Educational-Technology/Ohio-K-12-Network/Spending-Guidelines.
Q: It says, “Please account for this funding using It USAS Fund 451, Receipt Code 3219 with a unique Special Cost Center. When is this due?”
A: Funds received for the Ohio K12 Network Subsidy must be encumbered on or before June 30. All funds must be spent on or before September 30.
Minimum Connectivity: The minimum connection speed is 1.56 Mbps.
Cable and DSL connections are not eligible for subsidy.
The minimum connection speed requirement is determined by the Ohio Department of Education in collaboration with the Ohio K12 Network Advisory Committee.
Building refers to an ODE-issued IRN which might include more than one physical building on the same campus.
A building is eligible must:
Closed Building: The building IRN must be “Open” in OEDS (see: https://oeds.ode.state.oh.us/). Closed buildings that are connected to your network are not eligible for subsidy.
Grade Span: A building IRN must be instructing students in the K through 12 grade span. Preschool-only building IRNs and adult education buildings are not eligible.
Student Headcount: Your district must have reported ADM or headcount for the building IRN in the previous school year. Headcount data is received from the Ohio Department of Education and imported on a periodic basis.
Districts and schools are required to file an on-time Erate 471 application for Internet Access (IA) with a qualified Ohio K12 Network ISP. The ISP is typically one of the ITCs of the Ohio Education Computer Network (OECN).
Erate applications are filed in the spring before the fall subsidy application period.
If you are a new district or school, you will not be eligible in your first year because it is not likely you filed for Erate. There is no waiver for this requirement.
An Erate 471 may be missing because it was filed by an entity other than the school, such as a consortia.
Erate 471 data is imported into the subsidy system from USAC during the summer and is matched by their Billing Entity Number (BEN). If your school was included in a Erate consortia filing, you will need to provide the BEN for the consortia and the 471 application number that included your school.
Q: If a non-public school uses auxiliary funding to pay for their internet service, how does this subsidy apply?
A: If the school has filed for E-Rate for Internet Access with an ITC as their provider and has students who are within the kindergarten through grade 12, they are eligible to apply for the subsidy.
All changes to building data (status, address, headcount, etc.) are made by the Ohio K12 Help Team. If you have a building update, use the request form shown on this page.
