According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), more than one cyber incident occurs on average per K-12 school per day.
Schools are increasingly being targeted because they are seen as attractive and vulnerable. Often, schools lack the robust cybersecurity measures found in other sectors, making them easier to infiltrate. Threat actors of all types have realized that school systems often have older computer systems, have fewer cybersecurity experts on staff, and simultaneously rely heavily on technology. In addition to that, they hold sensitive and longitudinal data and can be targeted by both offshore and homegrown bad actors. It’s no wonder that more than one cyber incident occurs each day.
How can E-Rate help your cybersecurity posture?
To provide additional resources to K-12 institutions, the Federal Communications Commission announced in the summer of 2024 that advanced cybersecurity services and equipment would be added to the current Universal Services Program for Schools and Libraries (more commonly known as E-Rate) support programs.
The E-Rate program has given schools access to discounted technology equipment and services for years, but with the increasing prevalence of cybersecurity incidents, schools will now be able to apply these benefits to additional security protections.
For example, one of the largest technology expenses a school faces is the requirement of installing and maintaining privacy filters for online access. With the new discounts, those filters will now be accessible to schools more affordably.
New E-Rate Program Security-Related Categories
- Advanced/Next-Generation Firewalls
- Endpoint Protection
- Identify Protection and Authentication
- Monitoring, Detection, and Response
- Training for staff and students
Access a complete listing here.
What does the application process look like?
The Cyber Security Grant portion of the E-Rate program is new this year and separate from the traditional E-Rate process. In addition, the application window is shorter, and the process is much more rigorous. The current process, on average, takes 12 months from discovery to installation. As a result, staying on top of your application strategy is more important than ever.
We are passionate about assisting educational institutions with securing quality technology for students and staff because our strategic consulting team includes former educational technology leaders with a combined 30 years of experience in schools. They understand the nuanced intersection of securing government funding, optimizing tight budget dollars, and meeting federal and state requirements of security, privacy, and innovation.
As a result of this work, we are excited to offer consulting services geared specifically toward E-Rate Support.
An ongoing Strategic Consulting engagement includes:
- Discovery
- Current environment assessment
- Network Audit
- Eligibility Review
- Budgeting and planning support
- Filing Advisory
- RFP Support
- Matrix Scoring*
- Vendor Evaluation
- Procurement and Installation*
- Procurement roadmap
- Installation oversight and assistance
- Ongoing Consulting
*GadellNet is unable to simultaneously offer a bid and act as a consulting partner.
If you are interested in speaking with our team to learn if our E-Rate Support Services will benefit your students and staff, please contact us today.