********************************************************    
                                         NOTICE
    ********************************************************
                                
                This document was converted from
           WordPerfect or Word to ASCII Text format.
                                
   Content from the original version of the document such as
headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, graphics, and page numbers
             will not show up in this text version.
                                
All text attributes such as bold, italic, underlining, etc. from the
    original document will not show up in this text version.
                                
        Features of the original document layout such as
columns, tables, line and letter spacing, pagination, and margins
           will not be preserved in the text version.
                                
        If you need the complete document, download the
  WordPerfect version or Adobe Acrobat version, if available.
                                
*****************************************************************
                                                           Before the
               Federal Communications Commission
                     Washington, DC  20554

In the Matter of                   )
                                   )
Request for Review of the          )
Decision of the                    )
Universal Service Administrator by )
                                   )
Solon Springs School District      )    File No. SLD-192452
Ashland, Wisconsin                 )
                                   )
Federal-State Joint Board on       )    CC Docket No.  96-45
Universal Service                  )
                                   )
Changes to the Board of Directors of the     )    CC Docket No. 97-21
National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.  )

                             order

Adopted:  August 23, 2000               Released:  August 24, 2000

By the Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

1.     The Accounting Policy Division has under consideration a Letter of Appeal filed by
Solon Springs School District (Solon Springs), Ashland, Wisconsin, seeking review of a decision
issued by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC or Administrator).  Solon Springs seeks review of SLD's refusal to consider
Solon Springs' appeal to SLD on the grounds that it was untimely filed.  For the reasons set forth
below, we deny Solon Springs' appeal.
2.     SLD issued a Funding Commitment Decision Letter on May 12, 2000, denying Solon
Springs' request for discounted services under the schools and libraries universal service support
mechanism.  Specifically, SLD denied Solon Springs' request for discounts for internal
connections, Funding Request Number (FRN) 411623.  On June 13, 2000, Solon Springs filed an
appeal of SLD's decision to deny FRN 411623.  On June 15, 2000, SLD issued an
Administrator's Decision on Appeal indicating that it would not consider Solon Springs' appeal
because it was received more than 30 days after the Funding Commitment Decision Letter was
issued.  Solon Springs subsequently filed the instant Letter of Appeal with the Commission.
3.     Under section 54.720 of the Commission's rules, an appeal must be filed with the
Commission or SLD within 30 days of the issuance of the decision as to which review is sought. 
Documents are considered to be filed with the Commission or SLD only upon receipt.  The 30-
day deadline contained in section 54.720 of the Commission's rules applies to all requests for
review filed by a party affected by a decision issued by the Administrator.  Because Solon
Springs failed to file an appeal of the May 12, 2000 Funding Commitment Decision Letter within
the requisite 30-day appeal period, we affirm SLD's decision to dismiss Solon Springs' appeal to
SLD as untimely and deny the instant Letter of Appeal.
4.     ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to authority delegated under 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 Letter of Appeal filed by Solon Springs School District, Ashland, Wisconsin on June 26,
2000, IS DENIED.
                                                            FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            Sharon L. Webber
                                                            Deputy Chief, Accounting Policy Division
                                                            Common Carrier Bureau