What is the Microsoft Voucher Settlement Fund?
In 2004, Microsoft agreed to a settlement with consumers and businesses in 14 states to resolve a class action suit that alleged it overcharged for its products. Now that the initial phase of the settlement is complete, some of the money that went unclaimed is available for schools in a "cy pres" fund. Every state is going to handle this money differently, and will have different criteria for how schools can claim it.
Microsoft Voucher Settlement Fund News
The results of the Microsoft voucher settlements are currently in negotiation in many states. As news becomes available, we will post it here. The goal of the settlement is to support district and school technology plans with new hardware, software, and professional development. Generation YES students can do this for your district, no matter what specific technology you purchase. This is an amazing opportunity to fund the Generation YES programs you've been wanting to start!
California - over $1 Billion (with a B)
Vermont - $4.7 Million
Minnesota - $55.2 Million
Florida - over $80 Million
Tennessee - $30.6 Million
Stay tuned! If your state is not on this list and you are interested in how to use Microsoft vouchers to purchase Generation YES products, contact us.
California
Generation YES is an approved provider of products and services for both Information Technology (IT) and Professional Development.
Funds may be used for:
- GenYES
- TechYES
- Generation TECH
- Professional Development - either related to these programs or any of our PD offerings.
Official California Department of Education Website on Microsoft Voucher Settlement
FAQs
What schools are eligible to apply for the vouchers?
K-12 public school districts that have a state-approved technology plan with at least 40 percent of students eligible for free or reduced price meals.
How do schools apply for the program?
Districts apply for the program on behalf of schools. The application is ONLINE NOW.
What products or services can be purchased with the vouchers?
The list includes hardware, software, IT support services, professional development, and more -- as long as the vendor is on the approved list found on the state website. The program is intended to be hardware and vendor neutral. Generation YES is an approved vendor in both categories (IT and Professional Development). NOTE: just because a vendor is on the approved list doesn't mean that it's automatically going to be reimbursed. Districts have to follow the rules found on the California DOE website to make sure that their purchases are pre-approved. Please read and follow the directions carefully. It seems a little complicated to us, but once we hear of districts who have successfully navigated the process, we will have more information.
Program details and FAQs can be found on the California Department of Education Microsoft Voucher Settlement Website
An extremely useful website is the TechSETS site TechSETs K-12 Microsoft Voucher Settlement. TechSETS is a partner in providing resources and support for the Ed Tech K-12 Voucher Program.
As of September 18, 2006 - The Request for Application (RFA) Is Online
Request for Applications - Education Technology K-12 Voucher
Due: Monday, June 30, 2008
Education Technology K-12 Vouchers are the result of the Settlement Agreement between California consumers and the Microsoft Corporation. The vouchers are to be used to assist districts to implement and support their state-approved district technology plans designed to foster effective teaching and promote student achievement in eligible schools that serve students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The vouchers can be redeemed for a variety of goods and services and may be used for any computer platform that the school or district specifies. The vouchers will be in the form of 50 percent General Purpose Vouchers and 50 percent Specific Category Software Vouchers. The California Department of Education is providing services for the settlement claims administrator, selected by the court, that is managing the private funding for the vouchers.
Program Questions: Gary Quiring, e-mail: [email protected], tel. 916-323-5216
Downloading Questions: Education Technology Office, e-mail: [email protected], tel. 916-323-5715
Vermont
The Vermont Microsoft Voucher Reimbursement program looks pretty simple.
Funds may be used for:
- GenYES
- TechYES
- Generation TECH
- Professional Development - either related to these programs or any of our PD offerings.
Official Vermont Department of Education Website on Microsoft Voucher Settlement
See this website for eligibility and requirements.
Minnesota
Under terms of the 2004 court-approved settlement, any consumer or business that purchased certain Microsoft software for use in Minnesota was eligible to receive vouchers for varying dollar amounts to purchase new computer hardware or software. After the deadline for the public closed, half the value of the unclaimed vouchers was made available to the Minnesota Department of Education. The Department, working with attorneys for the plaintiffs and Microsoft, established a program by which to distribute this "cy pres" award.
467 school districts and charter schools will receive vouchers, varying in dollar amounts from several hundred dollars to $6.3 million. The voucher amount available to each district or charter school is based upon its percentage of the state's total free and reduced price lunch eligible students. Vouchers can be redeemed for more than 1,500 eligible products from numerous companies from now until January 27, 2012.
More information at the Minnesota Department of Education website, School Technology Support and Outreach Unit.
Florida
The Florida Microsoft Voucher Reimbursement program has been announced, but no information or application is available yet (as of August 17, 2006.)
(from an August 17, 2006 press release) Commissioner John L. Winn today announced that eligible Florida public schools will receive more than $80 million in technology funding from Microsoft as a result of a 2003 class action lawsuit settlement. Funds will be distributed in the form of vouchers school districts may use to receive reimbursement for purchases of any manufacturer's desktop, laptop or tablet computers running any operating system, or software used with those computer products.
Schools will be able to use these vouchers to receive reimbursement for the purchase of a wide range of computer equipment, software and training from any manufacturer. To qualify, a school must have at least half of its students during the 2004-2005 school year eligible for free and reduced price lunch.
The Department of Education (DOE) estimates that 1,790 schools, serving more than 1.1 million students in Florida, will be eligible. During the coming months, the DOE will provide guidance and technical assistance, including the development of a website for school districts to determine eligibility and identify items appropriate for voucher use. In addition to new technology items, vouchers may also be used for related professional development services such as curriculum development, training and supplemental services for school administrators. Half of the funds may be used for software and the other half for hardware and other services.
Update - as of November, 2006 we hear that it will be at least January 2007 before the details on how to redeem vouchers will be worked out at the Florida DOE. However, there is now a list of eligible districts and how much funding they might get here: www.fldoe.org/news/2006/2006_08_17.asp Stay tuned!
Tennessee
The Tennessee Microsoft Voucher Reimbursement program is only disbursing half the money to schools. The other half will be used to pay a portion of the state's ConnectTen program, which provides Internet access for schools. The other half of the funds can be used to reimburse districts for software purchases. We aren't sure if this completely excludes purchase of Generation YES products, but at the very least, it would seem to free up some technology funding that can then be directed to professional development or plans to actually have students use the new software like Generation YES provides.
However, according to this article from the website Tennessean.com, many districts face an issue of cash flow, since they can only request reimbursement AFTER they purchase the software, and they don't have the money. We hope that Tennessee schools think beyond simply purchasing more software and also fund the necessary student and professional development programs that make all software really useful.
Press release from the Tenessee Department of Education on the Microsoft Voucher Settlement
See this website for district-by-district eligibility and requirements.
