Section 161.06. Determinations of eligibility.

 

(1)  The board shall determine if any school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college or public library board which applies under s. PSC 161.05 is eligible to participate in the educational telecommunications access program.

(2)  In its determination of eligibility under sub. (1) , the board shall use the following criteria:

(a) Availability of funds and impact of the requested access on available funds.

(b) Applicant's educational technology plan.

(c) Reasonableness of requested access, including economic efficiency and cost. Requests for access which requires telecommunications transport over long distances when similar access is available locally or regionally may be determined ineligible.

(d) Readiness of applicant to use the requested access, including program development, facility arrangements and staff training.

(e) Other criteria established by the board.

(3)  If the board, after consultation with the commission, determines at any time that the monies in the universal service fund for this program are insufficient to approve all pending applications, the board may prioritize applications for access. In establishing priorities, the board may give a higher priority to an application whenever a determination of eligibility would maximize the number of eligible applicants statewide or geographically distribute access to data lines and video links throughout the state. In addition, the board may give a higher priority to any application from an applicant which does not already have a data line or video link in service, which has applied for a discount under the federal universal service program in 47 USC 254 or which establishes a reasonable level of utilization for the requested access line or video link. The board may establish at any time other criteria for prioritizing applications for access.

(4)  The board shall notify the applicant, department and commission of its determination.

Cr. Register, October, 1998, No. 514 , eff. 11-1-98.