Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) E-RATE

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
E-RATE - Year Four Compliance
FACT SHEET

CIPA is only required for Internal Connections and Internet Services.
CIPA compliance is not required for Telecommunications Services.

IF...

If the school/district (billed entity) has received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter, the billed entity must mail the completed Form 486 before* Sunday, October 28, 2001, to receive discounts that are retroactive to the service start date [which could be as early as July 1, 2001].

NOTE:

Confirm with the Service Provider that the services ordered will start (Service Start Date) on or before October 28, 2001.

*If the Form 486 is postmarked after Sunday, October 28, 2001, SLD will not provide discounts for the services rendered prior to the 486 filing and will reduce the funding commitment for the relevant Funding Request Number(s) as appropriate.

If the school/district has received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter but the service start date is after October 28, 2002, the billed entity should file the Form 486 no later than 120 days after the service start date or the date of Funding Commitment Decision Letter – whichever is later.

If the school/district has not yet received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter, don’t worry about it now. However, remember to file a Form 486 no later than 120 days after the service start date or the date of Funding Commitment Decision Letter – whichever is later.

Form 486, Block 4, Item 11 – CIPA Certification by Administrative Authority

In compliance with CIPA ["Done"]

OR

Undertaking actions to be in compliance by next funding year ["Doing"] – see below

OR

CIPA does not apply because discounted services are only Telecommunications Services ["Don’t Need To Do"]

Doing (Undertaking Action)

v An undertaken action is an action which can be documented and which moves the recipient of service toward compliance

v Documentation of undertaken actions must be retained for audit purposes

Examples:

Meeting Agenda or Minutes

Memo to CSA

Procurement procedure’s paperwork

CIPA COMPLIANCE

To be in compliance with CIPA, the school/district must adopt and enforce an Internet Safety Policy that:

Must include a technology protection measure to block or filter Internet access by protecting against access by adults and minors to visual depictions or images that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors

Must be discussed at a public hearing or meeting for which reasonable notice is provided

Must include monitoring* the online activities of minors including:

Access by minors to inappropriate matter

Safety/security of minors when using e-mail, chat rooms, other direct electronic communications

Unauthorized access, including "hacking" and other unlawful activities by minors online

Unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors

Measures designed to restrict minors’ access to harmful materials (content deemed inappropriate for minors by local standards)

*Monitoring appears to require only supervision, not technical measures. Specifically, CIPA does not require "tracking of Internet usage by any identifiable minor or adult user."