Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Requests for Waiver and Review of ) Decisions of the ) Universal Service Administrator by ) ) Academy of Accelerated Learning, Inc. ) File Nos. SLD-853062 et al. Houston, Texas et al. ) ) Schools and Libraries Universal Service ) CC Docket No. 02-6 Support Mechanism ) ORDER Adopted: May 15, 2013 Released: May 15, 2013 By the Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau: 1. Consistent with precedent, 1 we address requests from petitioners seeking review of 106 decisions made by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the E-rate program (more formally known as the schools and libraries universal service support program) finding that petitioners failed to file their FCC Form 471 applications by the filing window deadline. 2 We grant 1 See Requests for Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Academy of Math and Science et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-487009 et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 25 FCC Rcd 9256, 9259-60, paras. 8 & 9 (2010) (Academy of Math and Science Order) (finding special circumstances exist to justify granting waiver requests where, for example, petitioners filed their FCC Forms 471 within 14 days after the FCC Form 471 filing window deadline; filed their Forms 471 on time, but failed to timely file their certifications; or filed within 30 days despite medical issues); Requests for Waiver and Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Academy for Academic Excellence et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-539076 et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 4747, 4749, para. 4 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2007) (finding special circumstances exist to justify granting waiver requests where petitioners were unable to file on time due to reorganizations or severe weather, but still filed within a reasonable time); Requests for Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Anderson Elementary School et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-789495 et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 27 FCC Rcd 5319, 5319-20, para. 2 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2012) (treating late-filed item 21 attachments like late-filed certifications). 2 Section 54.719(c) of the Commission’s rules provides that any person aggrieved by an action taken by a division of USAC may seek review from the Commission. 47 C.F.R. § 54.719(c). Section 54.507(c) of the Commission’s rules provides for E-rate funds to be made available on a first-come, first-served basis, but requires USAC to implement an initial funding window that treats all applicants filing within that window as if their applications were simultaneously received. 47 C.F.R. § 54.507(c). The requests for review are listed in Appendices A-D. Although some petitioners did not explicitly request a waiver of the FCC Form 471 application filing window deadline, we treat as requests for waiver all of the requests for review involving FCC Form 471 applications that were submitted after the relevant filing window deadline. Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 2 requests concerning 80 applicants, grant in part and deny in part one request, and deny requests by 25 applicants. 3 2. Based on the facts and circumstances of these specific cases, we find that good cause exists to grant the requests for review for the 81 applications listed in Appendices A-C. 4 We grant the two requests listed in Appendix A because we find that the applications were filed within the filing window. 5 We grant the 57 waiver requests listed in Appendix B because each of those petitioners filed its applications within 14 days of the close of the filing window. 6 We grant the 22 waiver requests listed in Appendix C because each of those petitioners filed 1) its application within 14 days of the close of the filing window, but for their certifications or item 21 attachments, 2) its application within a reasonable period from the close of the window despite the person responsible for submitting the form or a close family member of that person suffering an unexpected illness or death, 3) its application within a reasonable period from the close of the window even though the entity was undergoing reorganization or suffering from severe weather, or 4) a waiver request before the close of the filing window and could have filed its applications within 14 days of the close of the filing window. 7 We deny the requests of the 26 applicants listed in Appendix D because we find that the petitioners have failed to present special circumstances justifying waivers of the Commission’s rules. 8 3. At this time, we find no evidence of waste, fraud and abuse in the record with respect to the petitioners for which we grant relief. We therefore remand the underlying applications listed in Appendices A through C to USAC for further action consistent with this order. In remanding these applications to USAC, we make no finding as to the ultimate eligibility of the services or the petitioners’ applications. 4. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a), that the requests for review or requests for waiver filed by the petitioners listed in Appendices A through C ARE GRANTED and their underlying applications ARE REMANDED to USAC for further consideration in accordance with the terms of this order. 5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 3 See Appendices A-D. We grant in part and deny in part the request of Nosotros Academy, which seeks a waiver for two different applications. We find that one of the applications (931755) was filed shortly after the filing window, justifying a waiver, while the other (933490) was filed significantly later, without any special circumstances to justify a waiver. The former application is listed in Appendix B, while the latter is listed in Appendix D. 4 See Appendices A-C. Generally, the Commission’s rules may be waived if good cause is shown. 47 C.F.R. § 1.3. The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest. Northeast Cellular Telephone Co. v. FCC, 897 F.2d 1164, 1166 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (Northeast Cellular). In addition, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of overall policy on an individual basis. WAIT Radio v. FCC, 418 F.2d 1153, 1159 (D.C. Cir. 1969); Northeast Cellular, 897 F.2d at 1166. Waiver of the Commission’s rules is appropriate only if both (i) special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule, and (ii) such deviation will serve the public interest. Northeast Cellular, 897 F.2d at 1166. 5 See Appendix A. 6 See Appendix B. 7 See Appendix C. 8 See Appendix D. Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 3 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a), that section 54.507(c) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 54.507(c), IS WAIVED for the petitioners listed in Appendices B and C to the limited extent provided herein. 6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722(a), that the requests for review or requests for waiver filed by the petitioners listed in Appendix D ARE DENIED. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Kimberly A. Scardino Chief Telecommunications Access Policy Division Wireline Competition Bureau Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 4 APPENDIX A Requests Granted FCC Form 471 Applications Filed Within the Filing Window Petitioner Application Number Funding Year Date Request for Review/Waiver Filed Academy of Accelerated Learning, Inc. Houston, TX 853062 2012 Mar. 7, 2013 Vireva Nursery School & Kindergarten Chicago, IL 852623 2012 Mar. 4, 2013 APPENDIX B Requests Granted FCC Form 471 Applications Filed Within 14 Days of the Close of the Filing Window Petitioner Application Number(s) Funding Year Date(s) Request for Review/Waiver Filed Annunciation BVM School McSherrystown, PA 933291 2013 Apr. 8, 2013 Bandera Independent School District Bandera, TX 932270 2013 Apr. 5, 2013 Bland County School Board Bastian, VA 931787 2013 Mar. 26, 2013 Brookfield Academy Cherry Hill, NJ 931655, 931829 2013 Mar. 21, 2013 Canfield Local School District Canfield, OH 932856 2013 Mar. 29, 2013 Cedar Hill Independent School District Cedar Hill, TX 932985 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Collier County Public Library Naples, FL 908919 2013 Mar. 4, 2013 Cornerstone Christian Academy Tillar, AR 896989 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Crescent View West Charter Fresno, CA 896933 2013 Apr. 4, 2013 David’s Star Evangelical Lutheran School Jackson, WI 932471 2013 Apr. 13, 2013 Eagle College Prep II, Inc. Phoenix, AZ 895163 2013 Apr. 4, 2013 Eagle South Mountain Charter, Inc. Phoenix, AZ 895181 2013 Apr. 4, 2013 Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library Rimersburg, PA 931907 2013 Apr. 2, 2013 Elizabeth Seton Academy Dorchester, MA 932992 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Erskine Academy South China, ME 932311 2013 Mar. 22, 2013 Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 5 Petitioner Application Number(s) Funding Year Date(s) Request for Review/Waiver Filed Grace Christian School Staunton, VA 931714 2013 Apr. 2, 2013 Gunnison-Watershed District RE 1 J Gunnison, CO 904351 2013 Mar. 21, 2013 Houston School District Houston, MS 921116 2013 Apr. 5, 2013 Humble Independent School District Humble, TX 932572 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Jeff Davis County School District Hazelhurst, GA 930774 2013 Mar. 15, 2013 JS Clark Leadership Academy Opelousas, LA 924633 2013 Apr. 10, 2013 King George County School District King George, VA 932052 2013 Mar. 21, 2013 Lapwai School District 341 Lapwai, ID 932873 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Lexington Independent School District Lexington, TX 932200 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Mannheim School District 83 Franklin Park, IL 921591 2013 Mar. 18, 2013 Maple Creek Elementary School District Korbel, CA 923408 2013 Apr. 23, 2013 Miller Memorial Library Hamden, CT 931687 2013 Mar. 15, 2013 Modoc County Library Alturas, CA 924989 2013 Mar. 20, 2013 Moravian Academy Bethlehem, PA 932874 f/k/a 912870 2013 Mar. 14, 2013 revised on Mar. 20, 2013 Neosho School District R 5 Neosho, MO 932964 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 North Branch Township Library North Branch, MI 933628, 933747, 933749 2013 Apr. 12, 2013 Nosotros Academy Tucson, AZ 931755 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Oberlin Public Library Oberlin, OH 932988 2013 Apr. 3, 2013 Oberlin Unified School District 294 Oberlin, KS 932987 2013 Apr. 4, 2013 Options Head Start South El Monte, CA 932089, 932108, 932109, 932215 2013 Apr. 2, 2013 Parents in Community Action, Inc. Minneapolis, MN 932604 2013 Apr. 23, 2013 Paxton Consolidated Schools Paxton, NE 931871 2013 Mar. 25, 2013 Put in Bay Local School District Put in Bay, OH 931807 2013 Feb. 20, 2013 supplemented Mar. 19, 2013 Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 6 Petitioner Application Number(s) Funding Year Date(s) Request for Review/Waiver Filed Putnam County Public Library Cookeville, TN 928754 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 Regional School District 10 Burlington, CT 932107 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 Rutland Southwest Supervisory Union Poultney, VT 931831 2013 Mar. 22, 2013 St. Anne Catholic School Wichita, KS 932091 2013 Mar. 15, 2013 St. Bernard’s Central Catholic HS Fitchburg, MA 931713 2013 Mar. 27, 2013 St. Joseph Academy Cleveland, OH 932656 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 St. Mary Central School Martins Ferry, OH 932408 2013 Apr. 1, 2013 St. Patrick Elementary School McCook, NE 932038, 932189 2013 Mar. 21, 2013 Salem School District Salem, CT 931887 2013 Apr. 8, 2013 Sandown Public Library Sandown, NH 932775 2013 Apr. 2, 2013 Santiam Canyon School District 129 J Mill City, OR 919125 2013 Apr. 3, 2013 Satsop Elementary School Satsop, WA 931992 2013 Apr. 1, 2013 Stonington Township Library Stonington, IL 906067 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 Sturgeon School District R 5 Sturgeon, MO 932518 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Sullivan County School District Laporte, PA 928565 2013 Mar. 29, 2013 Tuscarawas County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities New Philadelphia, OH 925856 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 Upper Dublin School District Maple Glen, PA 922162 2013 Mar. 19, 2013 Upper Moreland Free Public Library Willow Grove, PA 924837 2013 Mar. 15, 2013 Wayne Library Authority Honesdale, PA 932437 2013 Mar. 25, 2013 Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 7 APPENDIX C Requests Granted Waivers Granted for Other Special Circumstances Petitioner Application Number(s) Funding Year Date(s) Request for Review/Waiver Filed Be’er Hagolah Institutes Brooklyn, NY 787395 2011 Mar. 12, 2013 Carmi Public Library Carmi, IL 933650 2013 Apr. 23, 2013 Carter County School District Grayson, KY 838595 2012 Feb.21, 2013 Chama Valley Independent School District Tierra Amarill, NM 869373 2012 Feb. 20, 2013 Coleman Tech Charter High School San Diego, CA 931945 2013 Mar. 25, 2013 Diocese of Arlington E-rate Consortium Arlington, VA 868846 2012 Mar. 29, 2013 Glenbrook School Minden, LA 867803 2012 Feb. 19, 2013 Grace Classical Academy Laguna Nigel, CA 931614 2013 Mar. 18, 2013 Hinton Independent School District 161 Hinton, OK 865773 2012 Apr. 1, 2013 Jo Daviess Carroll Area Vocational Center Elizabeth, IL 933287 2013 Apr. 4, 2013 Juan Diego Academy Mission, TX 933052 2013 Apr. 3, 2013 Ludlow Grade School Ludlow, IL 934447 2013 Mar. 21, 2013 North Hudson Community Action Head Start West New York, NJ 933468 2013 Mar. 13, 2013 Northern Penobscot Tech Region III Lincoln, ME 933015 2013 Mar. 4, 2013 Palmyra Public Library Palmrya, PA 933428 2013 Apr. 5, 2013 Pike-Delta-York School District Delta, OH 841910 2012 Mar. 15, 2013 St. Joseph Regional High School Montvale, NJ 910400, 933269 2013 Mar. 11, 2013 & Apr. 8, 2013 St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral St. Louis, MO 932631 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 St. Rose School Clintonville, WI 932977 2013 Mar. 29, 2013 Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 8 Petitioner Application Number(s) Funding Year Date(s) Request for Review/Waiver Filed UFT Charter School Brooklyn, NY 862598 2012 Jan. 28, 2013 University Preparatory School Denver, CO 933328 2013 Mar. 7, 2013 Waupaca School District Waupaca, WI 933290 2013 Apr. 5, 2013 APPENDIX D Requests Denied Petitioner Application Number Funding Year Date Request for Review/Waiver Filed Alexander Findley Community Library Findley Lake, NY 933611 2013 Apr. 15, 2013 Berne Public Library Berne, IN 933547 2013 Apr. 8, 2013 Bucklin R-2 School Bucklin, MO 933571 2013 Apr. 16, 2013 Cainsville R-1 School District Cainsville, MO 933508 2013 Apr. 17, 2013 Charlotte Independent School District Charlotte, TX 933489 2013 Apr. 8, 2013 Duval County School District Jacksonville, FL 933467 2013 Apr. 15, 2013 Ector County Library Odessa, TX 933788 2013 Apr. 15, 2013 Fresno Academy for Civic and Entrepreneurial Leadership Fresno, CA 929101 2013 Mar. 26, 2013 Golconda Public Library Golconda, IL 933867 2013 Apr. 17, 2013 Intown Charter Academy Atlanta, GA 924121 2013 Apr. 16, 2013 Martinsville Community Library Martinsville, IL did not file 2013 Apr. 22, 2013 Milanof-Schock Library Mt. Joy, PA 933847 2013 Apr. 19, 2013 North Lakes Academy Forest Lake, MN 933387 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Nosotros Academy Tucson, AZ 933490 2013 Apr. 9, 2013 Our Saviors Lutheran School Albany, NY 933507 2013 Apr. 12, 2013 Piscataway Public Library Piscataway, NJ 932643 2013 Apr. 1, 2013 Federal Communications Commission DA 13-1075 9 Petitioner Application Number Funding Year Date Request for Review/Waiver Filed St. Charles Borromeo School Saint Charles, MO 933707 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 San Domenico Upper School Girls San Anselmo, CA 933947 2013 Apr. 19, 2013 Sayre Public Library Sayre, PA 921511 2013 Apr. 10, 2013 School Administrative District 8 Vinalhaven, ME 933227 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Speech and Language Development Center Buena Park, CA did not file 2013 Mar. 12, 2013 Spring Union Free School District East Hampton, NY 933811 2013 Apr. 23, 2013 Steel Valley School District Munhall, PA 932790 2013 Apr. 2, 2013 Walla Walla County Rural Library District Walla Walla, WA 933568 2013 Apr. 11, 2013 Westview School Los Angeles, CA 933367 2013 Mar. 28, 2013 York City School District York, PA 917088 2013 Apr. 2, 2013