Summary: In fiscal year 1998, libraries and secondary schools could use 35 programs in eight federal agencies as a source of support for telecommunications and information technology. Ten programs that specifically targeted technology provided about $650 million in that year and about $1.7 billion in discounts from the universal service fund between January 1998 and June 1999. The remaining 25 programs included technology as one of many possible uses of funds but did not track how much they spent on technology. Estimated administrative expenses for the 35 programs ranged from less than 1 percent to 15 percent; the estimated number of established administrative federal and nonfederal full-time-equivalent positions ranged from less than one to nearly 200. Twenty-two programs funded awards competitively, 12 distributed funding by formula, and one used both methods. No two programs provided identical services to identical populations, although programs shared some characteristics. The Office of Educational Technology in the Department of Education creates policy for and oversees technology issues within the Department and participates in coordination activities and policy initiatives across the federal government and within the education community. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy facilitates the development and implementation of federal policies associated with broad national science and technology goals; it also coordinates interagency efforts to develop and implement technology policies, programs, and budgets. Seventeen reports from agency offices of the inspector general indicated no systemic or widespread fraud, waste, and abuse problems, although some reports cited problems with individual grantees.
