FCC Review of E-Rate Program Sparks Concerns Among School Districts

The E-Rate program, a 30-year-old initiative that provides discounts on broadband service to schools and libraries, is under review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This review has sparked concerns among school districts, with some advocates planning a 'very loud' protest to protect the program.

School districts across the country rely heavily on the E-Rate program to connect their schools and classrooms to the internet. In California's Coachella Valley, Desert Sands Unified School District superintendent Kelly May-Vollmer noted that her district's broadband network is connected to almost every system in the district. Parents can check a school bus tracking app to ensure their child arrived on time, cafeteria staff use cloud-based meal accounts, and grounds crews rely on external wireless access points to maintain the district's 34 schools.

The E-Rate program saves high-poverty districts like Desert Sands up to 90% of the cost of connecting their schools and classrooms to the internet. However, the FCC's review has left leaders of the nation's school districts on edge. The commission is collecting views on how the program should be reformed or even whether it should be abandoned altogether because it "has fulfilled" its mission.

## The Review Process

The FCC's review process has left ed tech leaders both confused and ready to fight. Keith Kruger, CEO of the Consortium for School Networking, stated that the initial 70 pages of questions the FCC released were "so extraordinarily broad and comprehensive" that they were too overwhelming for the average district leader to address. "We're going to have to be very loud and noisy as a community to our members of Congress and to governors to say 'Hands off the E-Rate,'" Kruger said.

The FCC is seeking comments on whether the E-Rate program should be "limited or sunset," considering the nearly universal access in schools. However, Kevin Taglang, an executive editor with the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society, wrote that high-poverty districts receiving the largest discounts serve more than 16 million students. Any eligibility change that removes these schools from the program or substantially reduces their discount levels would fall hardest on the students and districts least able to absorb the loss.

## The Debate Over Screen Time

The debate over screen time has taken over the discussion about updating the program. Emily Cherkin, a Seattle-based consultant, testified before the U.S. Senate in January, saying that children's access to the internet has led to "catastrophic" impacts on their mental health, learning, and development. In response to those concerns, some states are restricting screen time. Parents are demanding the chance to opt out of apps and learning platforms, and others are suing ed tech companies and publishers, accusing them of data privacy violations and false advertising.

However, groups like the Consortium for School Networking have called for a balanced approach before the valid concerns over kids' time online threaten the loss of a program that saves schools and libraries over $2.5 billion each year. The discounts apply to high-speed internet service as well as Wi-Fi access points, routers, and switches. Desert Sands, for example, is currently upgrading such equipment district-wide - a $1 million project that is only costing the district $200,000 because of the discount.

## The Importance of E-Rate

E-Rate "is a connectivity program," Krueger said. "It's not an education program." The goal is not simply to reduce or increase screen time, but to ensure that every use of technology has a clear instructional purpose. However, Cherkin is skeptical of what she calls the industry's "rebrand." As long as students are spending time on a device, she wrote that it doesn't matter whether they have high-quality materials.

The E-Rate program has been a vital resource for school districts, providing them with the necessary tools to connect their students to the internet. However, the FCC's review has left many wondering about the future of the program. As the debate over screen time continues, it remains to be seen whether the E-Rate program will be reformed or abandoned altogether.

### Preventing Fraud

Conservatives first tried to end E-Rate through a 2023 lawsuit. Consumers Research, a nonprofit, argued that the FCC's arrangement with the Universal Service Administrative Company, the private entity that runs the program, was illegal and gave too much power to a federal agency. However, in a 6-3 decision last year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the program.

The Government Accountability Office, a federal watchdog agency, highlighted E-Rate in a December report, saying that out of five government programs evaluated, it was the only one following all nine recommended practices for preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. That was a big improvement over a 2020 GAO evaluation, which flagged the program for "several key fraud risks."

### Conclusion

The E-Rate program is a vital resource for school districts, providing them with the necessary tools to connect their students to the internet. However, the FCC's review has left many wondering about the future of the program. As the debate over screen time continues, it remains to be seen whether the E-Rate program will be reformed or abandoned altogether.

| Eligibility Change | Description | | --- | --- | | Limited | Reduce the number of schools eligible for the program | | Sunset | Abandon the program altogether | | Status Quo | Maintain the current eligibility criteria |

| District Type | Number of Students Served | | --- | --- | | High-poverty | Over 16 million | | Low-poverty | Under 1 million |