Warriors Against Fed Led Ed, when you hear me mention the CCSS Machine, you know I am referring to the P3 (Public Private Partnerships) controlling EVERYTHING connected to education in America. Everything from the laws to the curriculum is included.
When I say “Fed Ed”,though, are you thinking only CCSS (Common Core State Standards)?
Fed Ed means SO much more! Here are the top examples: Common Core, Career Tech Ed, Career Tracks/Pathways, Career Clusters, Next Gen, STEM, College/Career Readiness, Challenging State Academic Standards, Future Ready, 21st Century Skills Ready, AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, Early College, Community Colleges, Public Universities, some Private Colleges, Learn to Earn schools, and all the other connecting entities/programs in PreK to Grad School.
Because there is SO much ‘fed ed’, that means there’s LOTS of federal money (aka: your taxpayer burden) to be had.
What’s more, is the CCSS Machine is just itching to help you not only SPEND that money in your schools, but can show you how to get it!
The Money Train Stops Here:
Recently, I saw an article (link is below) about groups sold out to Fed Ed. These groups want to be the ONES to guide you to get the most E-Rate funding for your school possible.
Knowing I’ve written at least 2 articles about how the federal government has used this seemingly innocent fee on your phone bill (or your internet bill) to ram CCSS Machine reform down our throats, I knew I had to find out more. Especially knowing how full of digital upgrades and technology purchases ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) has written in as requirements.
ESSA has also tagged roughly $850 million just for these activities alone.That’s a hefty taxpayer burden, don’t you think? What happens when all that ‘free to your schools’ money runs short? Who picks up the tab? The citizens! Either through an increased tax burden OR a bond (taxes paid later over a long period of time). Trouble is, either way, those paying taxes now will be impacted as well as those who will be paying taxes in the future!
Think of it this way, our money used against us in the name of progress/success/readiness.
Group #1: “Funds for Learning (FFL)” (website: https://www.fundsforlearning.com/)
How I found “FFL” was through this article:
https://www.cdw.com/content/cdw/en/resources/maximizing-e-rate-updated-program-is-custom-built-for-connectivity-in-schools.html (*Note: in the screen shot above, you’ll see the main point I focused on, the ConnectEd Initiative. ESSA has portions of ConnectEd embedded: Digital Promise, Computer Science for All, and more.)
Here’s an excerpt from the article, where I learned more about E-Rate/ConnectEd:
“Most critically, the agency shifted its funding focus to meet the digital goals outlined in President Obama’s ConnectED initiative: Now, instead of helping schools subsidize their telephone bills and basic internet connectivity as it has done since 1997, the E-Rate program is focused on helping schools obtain affordable high-speed broadband connections to campus (known as Category 1 funding) and Wi-Fi equipment and services (known as Category 2 funding) so they can enable high-capacity digital classroom instruction.The change couldn’t have come at a better time, according to John Harrington, CEO of Funds for Learning, an E-Rate consulting firm. “The need is so great for connectivity inside of schools, and the E-Rate program as it’s designed now is custom-built for this,” he says. “It’s a real game changer.””
(*Note: In ESSA, Title One funding has been shifted, too. In that shift are the ‘capital purchases’ schools must make. A capital purchase example is buying computer equipment. Where you’ll find this shift ‘hiding’ is in the update from ‘targeted student support’ to ‘whole school support’.)
Other, need-to-know, highlights of the article include:
1) The author, Heather B. Hayes, goes on to share top tips for schools to get all the access to the ‘free’ E-Rate funding. That is, after she laments that many K-12 schools aren’t lining up in droves to get this ‘free money’.
2) Mentioned in Hayes’ article are (Group #2) CoSN (Consortium of School Networking), (Group #3) Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), and, The e2e Exchange (Group #4).
(*Notes: A) CoSN is a sold out CCSS Machine member and is actively helping redefine what student readiness should be! See: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/07/09/ready-or-not/
B) USAC is also sold out to the CCSS Machine.
See how: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/09/06/your-home-or-bust/ )
3) It appears school leaders are having trouble applying for the E-rate funding due to the EPCs (E-Rate Productivity Centers). When I looked these Centers up, it lead me right back to USAC (see #1). Below is a screen shot of the 4 step process. The Centers help you
gain discounts when purchasing digital services for your schools/libraries.
To see the entire illustrated process:
http://usac.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/handouts/application-process-flow-chart.pdf
4) E-rate Funds will be spread out over the next 5 years.
5) The Funds are not meant only to be used for digital technology, but curriculum and other school wide accessed programs/services/resources.
6) Lots of ‘help’ is available to those school leaders applying..non-profits with CCSS Machine agenda are only happy to offer guidance through the mandatory 28 day bidding competitions.
7) If you’d like to see the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) document about E-rate funds in schools/libraries:
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016/db0912/DA-16-1023A1.pdf
(*Note: the federal law this activity is protected under is the Communications Act of 1934 (and all its amendments.)
Related Resources:
1) My article about the ESSA and digital ”updates”: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2016/02/08/state-digital-education/
(*Note: has ESSA digital/technology page numbers, links to the other ESSA articles directly tied to E-Rate and/or the digital push in education, and more you can use to find the CCSS Machine’s overreach in your State.)
2) The USAC’s Schools and Libraries Committee leaders and their duties:
http://www.usac.org/about/about/leadership/sl-committee.aspx
3) The Funds for Learning Partners:
https://www.fundsforlearning.com/FFLServices/affiliations.php (*Note: SETDA (State Education Technology Directors Association is among them. You can find out more about them in my article above in #1.)
4) e2e Exchange is the nation’s leading entity when it comes to E-Rate consulting. Below is their “Connectivity Gap” illustration:
To see the leaders of e2e Exchange: http://www.erateexchange.com/about.htm (*Note: be sure to watch the almost 2 minute video from the President.)
5) The Gates Foundation funds awarded to CoSN:
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database#q/k=CoSN
6) The OLC (Online Learning Consortium’s Feb. 2015) pdf on ‘Tracking Education’:
http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/gradelevel.pdf (*Note: Pearson is a partner!)
7) The OLC received over $2 million for digital/technology educational alignment from the Gates Foundation in 2015: http://onlinelearningconsortium.org/news_item/online-learning-consortium-expands-digital-learning-initiative-gates-funding/
Closing:
Warriors, no matter who is elected, ESSA and all its mandates, requirements, and related CCSS Machine member groups are going to keep going on with their agenda.
We must use information like this to help expose this agenda.
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