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District plans to use E-rate funding for hotspots, internet and Lincoln wireless upgrades
Summary
At a work session trustees heard administration propose using federal E-rate funds to cover most costs for mobile hotspots, district internet/WAN service and wireless access-point upgrades at Lincoln Elementary; the district would pay a roughly 15% local share.
District technology staff asked the School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees to approve using federal E-rate funding to cover the majority of costs for mobile hotspots, internet/WAN service and wireless access-point upgrades at Lincoln Elementary for the 2025-26 school year.
The technology presentation was given by Miss Dontevaris, director of instructional technology, who said the district has used hotspots during the COVID period and is now eligible to claim them under E-rate for the first time. She said the E-rate program is federal support that covers roughly 80–85% of eligible costs while the district pays the remaining share.
On the mobile-hotspot item the trustees asked how inventory and returns will be tracked. Miss Dontevaris said vendors participating under E-rate must provide usage and return reporting to the federal program; the district’s existing inventory is less comprehensive than what E-rate vendors must track.
Trustees also reviewed a request to award internet and wide-area-network services to NETCO (sometimes referenced as NITCO in the discussion). Dontevaris said some bidders provided only internet service while others proposed new fiber installations at higher cost; NETCO was recommended because it offers both internet and building-to-building connectivity and was among the most affordable bidders.
A separate item covers upgrading wireless access points at Lincoln Elementary; Dontevaris said the district’s E-rate five-year cycle is ending and available funds were limited this year, permitting an upgrade for the smaller Lincoln site this cycle and leaving other building upgrades to the next cycle. The Lincoln project would require the district to cover about 15% of the eligible costs.
Board members asked administrative and legal staff about the vendor contracts. The district attorney said she had reviewed the agreement and raised concerns about the dispute-resolution section (section 6), which she described as containing a mandatory arbitration clause that may require revision.
No formal votes were recorded during the work session; the items were presented for approval at the upcoming public meeting. Trustees asked for additional contract detail and backup invoices to be included with the consent docket.
