The program’s application window was open from Sept. 17 through Nov. 1. In that time, the FCC received applications from schools and libraries in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, reflecting an urgent need for increased cybersecurity support, according to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
“The vulnerabilities in the networks we have in our schools and libraries are real — and growing,” she said in a public statement. “The overwhelming response to our pilot program makes clear that the cybersecurity threats impacting school systems are widespread. The pilot program provides an excellent opportunity to both learn from these varied experiences and also test out solutions in different environments.”
Selected participants will represent a mix of large, small, urban and rural schools and libraries, with an emphasis on low-income and tribal applicants, the FCC website states. The goal is to help those most in need of cybersecurity funding, while at the same time gathering data on price and efficacy. The FCC will then use that data to determine whether and how cybersecurity funding should be added to its E-rate program, which helps schools and libraries pay for telecommunications and Internet services but does not fund cybersecurity measures beyond a basic firewall.
The $200 million in pilot funds can be used to pay for projects in four categories: advanced firewalls; endpoint protection; identity protection and authentication; and monitoring, detection and response. The money will be allotted throughout the three-year program according to each entity’s cybersecurity needs and FCC-determined discount rate.
The amount each school or library must pay for any pilot-funded cybersecurity measures will depend on their discount rate, which can rage from 20 to 90 percent based on poverty level. Given the pilot’s focus on those most in need, the funding will target schools and libraries with the highest discount rate percentages, according to the news release.
The FCC is now reviewing the applications and will announce selected participants in a future public notice. Participants chosen for the program will need to provide further details about their cybersecurity issues and experience on FCC Form 484 Part Two. They will then receive instructions on the process for soliciting bids for the desired equipment and services.
