Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Program ("E-Rate") Broadband Survey

FCC E-Rate Broadband Survey Harris Interactive, Inc.

1.	Which “applicant type” do you generally select on your E-rate application?
	1.	School
	2.	School district
	3.	Library
	4.	Consortium
	5.	Don’t know/never applied (TERMINATE)

2.	Did you receive E-rate funding for Funding Year 2008 (7/1/2008 – 6/30/2009) to support projects at:
	1.	One school, but no libraries (Go to Q3)
	2.	More than one school, but no libraries (Go to Q3)
	3.	One library, but no schools (Go to Q5)
	4.	More than one library, but no schools (Go to Q5)
	5.	At least one school and at least one library (Go to Q3)
	6.	None of the above (TERMINATE)

3.	Was the school(s) that received E-rate funding in Funding Year 2008 public or private?
	1.	Public, including charter schools
	2.	Private
	3.	Don’t know

4.	Was the school(s) that received E-rate funding in Funding Year 2008…? Check all that apply.
	1.	Pre-school
	2.	Elementary school, including kindergarten
	3.	Middle school or junior high
	4.	High school
	5.	Don’t know

5.	Which of the following best describes your primary job responsibility?
	1.	Information technology staff
	2.	Library administrator or staff
	3.	Teaching staff
	4.	School district superintendent
	5.	School principal
	6.	Other school district administration staff
	7.	Consultant
	8.	None of the above (TERMINATE)

Now, we have some questions about the technology available at your entity (i.e., school, school district and/or library) and your entity’s use of that technology. For these questions, please specifically answer about the entities that have received E-rate funding in Funding Year 2008.

6.	Which of the following technologies provide Internet connection/access for your entity? Check all that apply.
	1.	Dial-up
	2.	T1/DS-1
	3.	T3/DS-3
	4.	Fiber optic
	5.	Cable
	6.	DSL
	7.	Satellite
	8.	Wireless
	9.	Other
	10.	Don’t know

7.	Indicate which of the following best describes the average speed of the Internet connection to your entity.
	1.	Greater than 200 kbps to less than 768 kbps
	2.	Greater than or equal to 768 kbps to less than 1.5 mbps
	3.	Greater than or equal to 1.5 mbps to less than 3 mbps
	4.	Greater than or equal to 3 mbps to less than 6 mbps
	5.	Greater than or equal to 6 mbps to less than 10 mbps
	6.	Greater than or equal to 10 mbps to less than 25 mbps
	7.	Greater than or equal to 25 mbps to less than 100 mbps
	8.	Greater than or equal to 100 mbps
	9.	Don’t know

8.	In your opinion, what is the minimum bandwidth speed needed to adequately meet the educational objectives of your entity?
	1.	Greater than 200 kbps to less than 768 kbps
	2.	Greater than or equal to 768 kbps to less than 1.5 mbps
	3.	Greater than or equal to 1.5 mbps to less than 3 mbps
	4.	Greater than or equal to 3 mbps to less than 6 mbps
	5.	Greater than or equal to 6 mbps to less than 10 mbps
	6.	Greater than or equal to 10 mbps to less than 25 mbps
	7.	Greater than or equal to 25 mbps to less than 100 mbps
	8.	Greater than or equal to 100 mbps
	9.	Don’t know

9.	What is the current availability of wireless Internet access provided by your entity?
	1.	Available for both staff, students and/or patrons
	2.	Available for staff only
	3.	Not available for anyone, but plan to make it available for some within the next three years
	4.	Not available for anyone, and no plans to make it available
	5.	Don’t know

ONLY ASK QUESTION 10, IF QUESTION 9 EQUALS “1” OR “2”:

10.	What type of wireless equipment are your staff, students, and/or patrons currently using to access the Internet at your school or library? Check all that apply. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-4)
	1.	Laptops, Netbooks or PCs
	2.	Tablet PCs
	3.	Smartphones or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), such as a Blackberry or iPhone
	4.	E-books or wireless reading devices, such as a Kindle
	5.	Other
	6.	Don’t know

11.	Based on current usage and educational objectives, please indicate whether the current Internet connection for your entity…
	1.	Completely meets your needs
	2.	Mostly meets your needs
	3.	Sometimes meets your needs
	4.	Rarely meets your needs
	5.	Does not meet your needs at all
	6.	Don’t know

ONLY ASK QUESTION 12, IF QUESTION 11 EQUALS “2”, “3”, “4” OR “5”:

12.	What is the primary reason that the current Internet connection does not meet some or all of your needs? Check all that apply. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-5)
	1.	Lack of capacity to serve multiple users
	2.	Connection speed is too slow
	3.	Frequent interruptions of service
	4.	Inadequate internal wiring and connections
	5.	Wireless networks can not provide coverage to all facilities
	6.	Other

13.	Which of the following barriers prevent your entity from obtaining and using the high-speed, broadband Internet access that you think is necessary to meet your entity’s needs? Check all that apply. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-8)
	1.	Service too costly
	2.	Installation too costly
	3.	Lack of availability of broadband
	4.	Inadequate local area network (LAN) services/internal networks and wiring
	5.	Outdated computers and equipment
	6.	Lack of training and technical support
	7.	Inconsistent service/frequent outages and down time
	8.	Physical structure or layout of building(s)
	9.	Other
	10.	No barriers prevent our entity from obtaining and using high-speed broadband Internet
	11.	Don’t know

More specifically, please indicate whether the current Internet connectivity for your entity Completely Meets, Mostly Meets, Sometimes Meets, Rarely Meets or Does Not Meet At All your needs for each of the following. (Rotate Questions 14 to 22)
		Completely Meets	Mostly Meets	Sometimes Meets	Rarely Meets	Does Not Meet At All	Don’t know/Not Sure	Don’t have this need
14.	E-mail	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
15.	Video conferencing	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
16.	Streaming video	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
17.	Voice over IP (VoIP) service	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
18.	Web browsing and Internet research	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
19.	Electronic databases	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
20.	Learning applications, such as educational games, homework or tutoring	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
21.	Online learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
22.	Online testing and assessment applications	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

Now, we have some questions for you specifically about the Internet applications available within your entity. For these questions, please specifically answer about the entity for which you have received E-rate funding.

ONLY ASK QUESTIONS 23-32, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “1”, “2” OR “5”:

Please tell us whether your students, teachers and school administrative staff regularly use or access these applications online, and, if not, when does your entity anticipate making these resources available? (Rotate Questions 23 to 32)
		Currently have access	Plan to make available within the next 12 months	Plan to make available within the next 12 to 24 months	Plan to make available in more than 24 months	Don’t plan on making available	Don’t know
23.	Electronic textbooks	1	2	3	4	5	6
24.	Professional development courses	1	2	3	4	5	6
25.	Instructional planning materials and curriculum resources	1	2	3	4	5	6
26.	School and student assessment data and results	1	2	3	4	5	6
27.	Digital library or museum collections, including online subscriptions to periodicals and other primary source resources	1	2	3	4	5	6
28.	Distance learning or video conferencing	1	2	3	4	5	6
29.	Online applications that students use in the classroom	1	2	3	4	5	6
30.	E-mail	1	2	3	4	5	6
31.	Online testing and assessment applications	1	2	3	4	5	6
32.	Online learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard)	1	2	3	4	5	6

ONLY ASK QUESTIONS 33-42, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “3”, “4” OR “5””:

Please indicate whether the library’s staff or patrons regularly use or access these applications online, and, if not, when does your entity anticipate making these resources available? (Rotate Questions 33 to 42)
		Currently have access	Plan to make available within the next 12 months	Plan to make available within the next 12 to 24 months	Plan to make available in more than 24 months	Don’t plan on making available	Don’t know
33.	Licensed databases, such as Lexis/Nexis and other online subscriptions	1	2	3	4	5	6
34.	Reference materials	1	2	3	4	5	6
35.	Online instructional courses and tutorials, such as practice exams for the GED or other certification exams	1	2	3	4	5	6
36.	Online job search, resume builders or job application filing	1	2	3	4	5	6
37.	Digital special collections (e.g., letters, postcards, documents, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5	6
38.	E-books	1	2	3	4	5	6
39.	Video conferencing	1	2	3	4	5	6
40.	Homework resources	1	2	3	4	5	6
41.	Audio content (e.g., music, audio books, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5	6
42.	Video content (e.g., streaming video, video clips, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5	6

ONLY ASK QUESTION 43A, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “1”, “2” OR “5”:

43A.	Of the following resources or applications listed below, which do you consider most essential to the operation of your school or school district? Please select up to three. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-10)
	1.	Electronic textbooks
	2.	Professional development courses
	3.	Instructional planning materials and curriculum resources
	4.	School and student assessment data and results
	5.	Digital library or museum collections, including online subscriptions to periodicals and other primary source resources
	6.	Distance learning or video conferencing
	7.	Online applications that students use in the classroom
	8.	E-mail
	9.	Online testing and assessment applications
	10.	Online learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard)
	11.	Other

ONLY ASK QUESTION 43B, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “3”, “4” OR “5”:

43B.	Of the following resources or applications listed below, which do you consider most essential to the operation of your library? Please select up to three. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-10)
	1.	Licensed databases, such as Lexis/Nexis and other online subscriptions
	2.	Reference materials
	3.	Online instructional courses and tutorials, such as practice exams for the GED or other certification exams
	4.	Online job search, resume builders or job application filing
	5.	Digital special collections (e.g., letters, postcards, documents, etc.)
	6.	E-books
	7.	Video conferencing
	8.	Homework resources
	9.	Audio content (e.g., music, audio books, etc.)
	10.	Video content (e.g., streaming video, video clips, etc.)
	11.	Other

44.	Which areas of your entity’s technology infrastructure need the most improvement during the next two years. Please select up to three. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-10)
	1.	Local Area Network (LAN) (internal wiring)
	2.	Local Area Network (LAN) equipment (switches, hubs)
	3.	Computers and desktop equipment
	4.	Wide Area Network (WAN) circuits
	5.	Wide Area Network (WAN) equipment (routers, switches)
	6.	Server software applications (e.g., increasing the number of user access licenses for software)
	7.	Server hardware, operating systems and storage solutions
	8.	Technical support staff capacity and knowledge
	9.	Staff training and support
	10.	Content management systems

45-46.	Which of the following applications does your entity already use or do you believe that your entity will implement or expand over the next two to three years? Check all that apply. If none apply, select None of the Above. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-5)
		Q45	Q46
		Already Using	Will implement or expand
	Interactive white boards	1	1
	Electronic textbooks	2	2
	Using cell phones to access the Internet	3	3
	Using handheld devices, such as PDAs, Smartphones or cell phones, for administrative purposes	4	4
	Using handheld devices, such as PDAs, Smartphones or cell phones, for academic or educational purposes	5	5
	Other	6	6
	None of the above	7	7

Now, we have some general questions for you about the E-rate program.

47.	What are the most critical services for your school, school district, or library that is currently funded under the E-rate program? Please select up to three. (ROTATE RESPONSE OPTIONS 1-8)
	1.	Landline telephone service (including VoIP, Centrex, or other telephone equivalent)
	2.	High speed telecommunications circuits for WANs, distance learning, etc.
	3.	Cell phone service
	4.	Internet access
	5.	Internal connections
	6.	E-mail
	7.	Web hosting
	8.	Basic maintenance of internal connections
	9.	Other
	10.	Don’t know

Please indicate if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree on whether the E-rate program should be revised in each of the following ways. (Rotate Questions 48 to 53)
		Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	Don’t know
48.	Allow the general public to access broadband facilities at schools (for example, for adult job training classes), instead of just having these facilities available only to school faculty and students	1	2	3	4	5
49.	Allow community colleges to participate in the E-rate program	1	2	3	4	5
50.	Allow all pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs to participate in the E-rate program	1	2	3	4	5
51.	Use E-rate funds to pay for end user computers and other end user devices	1	2	3	4	5
52.	Use E-rate funds to pay for teacher training	1	2	3	4	5
53.	Allow schools, school districts, and libraries to own their own wide area networks (WANs)	1	2	3	4	5

Please indicate if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree on whether the following ideas on changing the E-rate disbursement and discount methodology would maximize the deployment of broadband in your entity? (Rotate Questions 54 to 56)
		Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	Don’t know
54.	Increase E-rate discounts for those entities that do not currently have broadband connections	1	2	3	4	5
55.	Rotate priority 2 funding among E-rate applicants so that all applicants eventually receive some priority 2 funding	1	2	3	4	5
56.	Establish minimum connectivity broadband goals for all applicants and shape E-rate program funding to meet those goals	1	2	3	4	5

Now, we have some questions for you about the services that your entity funded under the E-rate program in Funding Year 2008.

As a reminder, we are surveying a representative sample of E-rate beneficiaries for feedback on the program. We will report the results of this survey in summary form only, thus no information will be included that could be used to identify individual respondents.

57.	What is your entity’s current E-rate discount rate?
	1.	90%
	2.	80%-89%
	3.	70%-79%
	4.	60%-69%
	5.	50%-59%
	6.	40%-49%
	7.	30%-39%
	8.	20%-29%
	9.	Don’t know

58.	What was the last funding year that your entity received funding under the E-rate program? (Drop down menu of years)
	1.	2009
	2.	2008
	3.	2007
	4.	2006
	5.	2005
	6.	2004
	7.	2003
	8.	2002
	9.	2001
	10.	2000
	11.	1999
	12.	1998
	13.	Don’t know

59.	In Funding Year 2008, what was your entity’s committed amount of E-rate funding?
	1.	Less than $10,000
	2.	$10,001 to $50,000
	3.	$50,001 to $100,000
	4.	$100,001 to $200,000
	5.	$200,001 to $500,000
	6.	$500,001 to $1 million
	7.	$1 million to $2 million
	8.	More than $2 million
	9.	Don’t know

60.	What is the total amount of E-rate funding your entity has received or expects to receive for the following services in Funding Year 2008? Please enter responses in whole dollar amounts. Please enter zero if your entity received no funding for the service.
	$	Telecommunications services (Go to Q61A)
	$	Internet access (Internet, Web-hosting, E-mail, etc.) (Go to Q61B)
	$	Internal connections (Go to Q61C)
	$	Basic maintenance of internal connections
	999999999.	Don’t know (Go to Q62)

61A.	Approximately what percentage of your Funding Year 2008 E-rate funding for telecommunications services went to the following services? (Responses must add up to 100 percent)
	1.	Landline telephone service, including local, long distance, Centrex
	2.	Cell phone service
	3.	PBX systems
	4.	Interconnected VoIP
	5.	Digital transmission (for example, DSL, ATM, wireless, satellite, T-1, DS-1, T-3, DS-3, fiber optic, broadband over power lines, frame relay, ISDN)
	6.	Paging services
	7.	Other services

61B.	Approximately what percentage of your Funding Year 2008 E-rate funding for Internet access went to the following services? (Responses must add up to 100 percent)
	1.	Dial-up Internet access
	2.	Wireless Internet access
	3.	Internet access via DSL
	4.	Internet access via cable modem
	5.	Internet access via fiber
	6.	Internet access via other wireline technologies, including T-1, etc.
	7.	Email
	8.	Web hosting
	9.	Interconnected VoIP
	10.	Other services

61C.	Approximately what percentage of your Funding Year 2008 E-rate funding for internal connections went to the following services and equipment? (Responses must add up to 100 percent)
	1.	Servers (including installation and related charges)
	2.	Software and software licenses
	3.	Other services

Finally, we have a few questions for classification purposes.

62.	Is your entity currently in a network with any local, regional or state government entities?
	1.	Yes
	2.	No
	3.	Don’t know

63.	For the purposes of the E-rate program, is your entity considered urban or rural?
	1.	Urban
	2.	Rural
	3.	Both urban and rural
	4.	Don’t know

ONLY ASK QUESTIONS 64 TO 66, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “1”, “2” OR “5”:

64	How many students are currently enrolled at your school or in your school district?
		Number of students
	99999.	Don’t know

65.	Approximately, how many students are there per computer at your school or within your school district? Please round response to nearest digit.
		Number of students per computer
	99999.	Don’t know

66.	Are students allowed to bring a laptop to your school or in your school district to utilize the school or school district’s Wi-Fi?
	1.	Yes
	2.	No
	3.	Only during certain times
	4.	Do not have Wi-Fi
	5.	Don’t know

ONLY ASK QUESTIONS 67 AND 68, IF QUESTION 2 EQUALS “3”, “4” OR “5”:

67.	How many registered borrowers are currently served by the branch library or library system receiving E-rate funding?
		Number of registered borrowers
	99999.	Don’t know

68.	How many people live in the service area currently served by the branch library or library system receiving E-rate funding?
		Number of people live in the service area
	99999.	Don’t know

69.	If your entity uses an outside consultant to assist you with the E-rate process, what is the annual cost of those services?
	1.	Less than $1,000
	2.	$1,001 to $5,000
	3.	$5,001 to $15,000
	4.	$15,001 to $50,000
	5.	$50,001 to $100,000
	6.	$100,001 to $500,000
	7.	$500,001 to $1 million
	8.	Greater than $1 million
	9.	Use a consultant, but don’t know amount
	10.	Don’t use a consultant

Please feel free to provide any additional comments here.

The FCC released a Public Notice on November 3, 2009 seeking comment on various issues related to broadband access in education, including changes to the E-rate program to improve broadband deployment as part of the FCC's development of the national broadband plan. In addition to completing the survey, please feel free to file comments as part of this proceeding (GN Docket Nos. 09-47, 09-51, 09-137, CC Docket No. 02-6, and WC Docket No. 05-195). Comments were due November 20, 2009 and reply comments are due December 11, 2009.

Those are all the questions we have. Thank you for participating in this survey.

15	Confidential
	11/9/2009