Head Start E-Rate Eligibility
Updated June 4, 2009
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Grantees in these states are eligible for E-Rate and Head Start facilities are recognized by the state department of education
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Grantees in these states are eligible for E-Rate if they are part of a public school district
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Grantees in these States are not eligible for E-Rate
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Not Yet Confirmed
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California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Maryland
Minnesota
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Utah
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
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Illinois
Louisiana
Missouri
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Texas
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Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
Arkansas
District of Columbia
Georgia
Guam
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio
Oregon
Puerto Rico
South Carolina
Tennessee
U. S. Virgin Islands
Vermont
Wyoming
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Arizona
Delaware
Kansas
Mississippi
Virginia |
Every other year, the Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC) sends a letter to each state department of education asking for verification of the information currently on file with USAC. In 2008 USAC included questions on Head Start in its communication to the states. The results can be found on their web site in an
Eligibility Table for Non-traditional K-12 Students and Facilities that provides eligibility determinations for pre-kindergarten, juvenile justice, and adult education students and facilities on a state-by-state basis. USAC has added an additional column on the left-hand side of this table and updated the
guidance on Non-traditional Elementary and Secondary Education to provide eligibility information on Head Start students and facilities.
A Head Start facility must meet two tests in order to be considered eligible for discounts:
- The Head Start facility must meet the statutory definition of elementary school under federal and state law.
- The state in which the Head Start facility is located must consider the facility to be a school.
Home-based Head Start programs are not eligible for discounts under any circumstances.
The eligibility table contains a number of comments to clearly define the eligibility of Head Start students and facilities in each state. Note that, while services to students less than three years old are not eligible for discounts, some states set higher age limits. As a result, Head Start facilities will be asked during Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) review to cost allocate services provided to ineligible students.
Below is a list of the comments in the eligibility table that may need additional explanation:
- Not yet confirmed. USAC has asked for information from the state department of education or for a confirmation of information already provided. Either the department has not yet responded or USAC needs some additional information and will be contacting the department in the near future.
- Yes, if part of a public school district ... Head Start programs that are run from public schools can apply as part of the school's application or they can apply on their own. During PIA review, USAC may ask for the name of the Head Start program's public school district or request additional information.
- Yes, if ... a stand-alone facility recognized by the state. On the USAC website there is a list of Head Start facilities for each eligible state. If a facility is not on the list, USAC requires a confirmation from the state that that facility is eligible, or the facility will be removed from the funding request and the dollars requested will be modified appropriately.
If you believe that a facility in your state is eligible and it does not appear in a list on the USAC website, you should contact your state department of education to get more information. Also, if the Eligibility Table indicates that USAC has not heard back from your state, you can encourage your state department of education to respond to USAC's questions.
