Updated
Updated · Hawaii Tribune-Herald · Jun 4
FCC Sets June 25 Vote on $3 Billion E-Rate Program as It Weighs Ending Subsidy
Updated
Updated · Hawaii Tribune-Herald · Jun 4

FCC Sets June 25 Vote on $3 Billion E-Rate Program as It Weighs Ending Subsidy

3 articles · Updated · Hawaii Tribune-Herald · Jun 4

Summary

  • June 25 is the date the FCC set for an initial vote on whether to reform or potentially end the roughly $3 billion-a-year E-Rate program for schools and libraries.
  • Brendan Carr said the agency is launching a complete review to test whether E-Rate-funded networks and services are still being used for educational purposes and whether the program has fulfilled Congress's objective.
  • The proposal, due this week, will also seek public comment on legal and policy questions tied to children's screen time, parental control and schools' use of subsidized internet access.
  • Nearly 30 years after E-Rate began subsidizing school connectivity, the review comes as some states and districts cut device use and screen time, especially for younger students.

Insights

Will the FCC's new anti-fraud portal inadvertently disconnect the nation's most under-resourced schools?
Why is a top-rated federal program facing reforms that over 90 school and library groups oppose?