Center for Educational Leadership

What it reported doing in 2023

Westport Academy Connectivity Project Westport-Mt. Winans-Lakeland (W-M-L) Broadband Internet BACKGROUND Problem: The Westport - Mt. Winans - Lakeland Community Service Area (CSA) is a broadband desert. The majority of residents access the Internet via smartphone when they can get a strong wireless connection. Others use a downgraded Internet connection from Cox or satellite connection through Dishnet or Hughesnet. The local elementary/middle school, Westport Academy, WiFi connection is unreliable and unstable. Westport Housing Authority residents are either completely without Internet connectivity or use a variety of very slow Hot Spot connections. Westport-Mt. Winans-Lakeland Broadband Internet Pilot Project We have received a network gap grant from the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB) for $250,000 called MD-GAP. We anticipate receiving a matching grant from OSB, for approximately $100,000. The digital inclusion grant, (MD-DIG) should be released soon. Our plan establishes a Point-of-Presence (POP) at Westport Academy elementary/middle school located at the center of town in Westport. We target the 100 homes, as part of our pilot, in the area adjacent to the POP, providing Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) Internet connectivity. Additionally, CEL will expand the Academy Internet capability. Broadband Internet Project Goals 1. Engage the community with Community Associates from YouthWorks. 2. Build a Point-of-Presence (POP) at Westport Academy that will deliver fiber optic broadband to 100 homes at speeds of more than 100 mbps. 3. Expand Westport Academy Digital Access and Internet Support Infrastructure. 4. Develop on the backend a community portal to assure Internet adoption. Community Associates & Digital Inclusion This summer we launched the first phase of the "Community Engagement" project. We collaborated with the Mayor's Office "YouthWorks" Summer Program, employing a dozen youth as Community Associates (CA). Our program engaged local residents, promoting broadband and the Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP. The CA's were based at Westport Academy and trained in non-profit essentials, entrepreneurship, and technology, leading to a Certificate of Completion in Non-profit Essentials. Westport Academy Broadband Connectivity Project Narrative The next phase of the project establishes a Point-of-Presence (POP) or hub at Westport Academy. Our Internet Telcom partner, FiberLight LLC, will build the Internet backhaul to the campus and into a secure location within the school. These costs are covered in the OSB MD-GAP grant. Grant Request Purpose The purpose of this grant request is to enhance Westport Academy Internet and broadband capacity. The grant will support the adoption of new programs that primarily serve immediate student and staff needs and will additionally provide a connectivity resource to the broader community. Our program objectives seek to address the digital inequities of Westport Academy (poor Internet access) while also addressing similar concerns throughout the broader Westport/Mt. Winans/Lakeland communities. We accomplish by establishing a high-speed, fiber-optic broadband presence at Westport Academy that will eventually provide reliable service to W-M-L community. Point-of-Presence (POP) Internet Hub Goal CEL (operating as Data Access One) will allocate funds from MD-GAP Connectivity grant to establish a POP (local Internet hub) at Westport Academy. Our national broadband Internet Telcom partner, FiberLight LLC, will connect the Westport Academy hub to its broadband Internet backhaul. Output We have designated the Westport Academy as the community's anchor institution partner, where the Internet backhaul connection will terminate. We will cross connect to CEL two hubs supplying access to high-speed Internet to the entire Westport/Mt. Winans/Lakeland community and Westport Academy. The Broadband Internet Pilot project targets approximately 108 private residences, and 350 public housing units. Outc

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 70.4%; rating input score 70
• Program expense ratio: 98.5%; rating input score 98

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 28.5%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.72; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 35.5%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -9.4% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings