E-Rate Discount Percentages

USAC uses Discount Percentages to determine the reimbursement available to each E-Rate applicant. The discount percentage is based on a school’s total enrollment and the number of students eligible for free and reduced lunch. Please note that discount percentages may vary from year to year. Applicants must have a valid method for determining the number of students eligible for free and reduced lunch and during a review, USAC may request that an applicant validate its discount rate by providing that documentation.

Examples of acceptable means of capturing free/reduced lunch eligibility are:

1. Participation in the National School Lunch Program – if requested, an applicant can submit a signed copy of an NSLP reimbursement claim form that was submitted to the state.
2. A family income survey that clearly states the family’s name, the student’s name, the size of the family and the income level of the family. **Please note, surveys cannot be older than 2 years before the start of the funding year.
3. Participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) – if requested, an applicant can provide documentation that validates participation in the CEP program.
4. Additional information about acceptable ways of determining your discount level can be found on the USAC website https://www.usac.org/e-rate/applicant-process/applying-for-discounts/alternative-discount-mechanisms/

Please note that the applicant must update their student information in EPC annually.

Please visit our page on the discount matrix for more information.

If you have any questions regarding discount percentages, please feel free to contact us or email us at info@erateadvantage.com.