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A conservative-leaning FCC, coupled with legal and congressional challenges, have created uncertainty around the E-rate program that funds school broadband. Experts say districts will need local funding and community partnerships to fill the gap. -
Plus, E-rate program funding is at risk, broadband legislation has been introduced, Massachusetts debuts connectivity initiative, materials from the Office of Educational Technology are once again available, and more.
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A panel at the Future of Education Technology Conference in Orlando last week offered tips on planning for the future of broadband, while cautioning attendees that aspects of the E-rate program are in political jeopardy.
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The application window for the Federal Communications Commission's cybersecurity pilot program saw requests from schools and libraries in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
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Plus, more states have been awarded federal funding from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the city of Boulder, Colo., has announced a new partnership to expand community broadband.
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Policy experts at the California IT in Education conference last week said Republicans in control of Congress and the Federal Communications Commission may seek to revoke recent E-rate program expansions.
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Great Bend Unified School District 428 in Kansas plans to use E-rate funds to upgrade the district's Internet bandwidth and put Wi-Fi on school buses. It also intends to apply for the FCC's new cybersecurity program.
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More than 2,500 applicants applied for funding through the Federal Communications Commission’s three-year Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program, which will fund expenses like firewalls and endpoint detection.
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Plus, Massachusetts is investing in digital skills training; a partnership in Scranton, Pa., aims to create a universal network; the Federal Communications Commission looks to drive tribal participation in E-rate; and more.
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The filing period to apply to join the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program will begin in mid-September, the Federal Communications Commission has announced. Applicants will have about six weeks to submit.
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Weeks after a court ruling in July found the FCC's E-rate program unconstitutional, some legal experts say strong bipartisan support for E-rate and the other universal service programs could ensure their survival.
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This week’s decision from the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals calls the Universal Service Fund unconstitutional. The nearly 30-year-old fund uses telecommunications fees to pay for the FCC’s E-rate program.
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The Federal Communications Commission voted July 18 to allow funding for Wi-Fi hot spots under the E-rate program. Schools can loan these hot spots to students who lack Internet access at home.
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Still in committee as part of the Kids Off Social Media Act, Eyes on the Board aims to tie E-rate funding to the restriction of social media access on any school networks supported by these federal funds.
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The FCC expects to open the application window for the three-year $200 million Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program this fall and urges prospective applicants to start preparing now.
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Plus, Massachusetts has added three members to its digital accessibility board, a federal resource on digital literacy aims to support community needs, and more.
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The Federal Communications Commission’s new Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program will use universal service funds to provide cybersecurity help to K-12 districts while collecting data on what they need.
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In a presentation Monday at the National School Boards Association conference in New Orleans, Lawrence Public Schools officials explained how building a private fiber network improved digital equity and saved money.
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Money for the Emergency Connectivity Fund is expected to run out June 30. The Federal Communications Commission will continue reviewing public input on the proposal until a determination is made.
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A bill moving through Congress proposes that districts receiving funds through the E-Rate program should not allow social media access, but it may be more practical for districts to address the problem individually.
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SETDA, CoSN and 10 other nonprofits or professional associations applaud the Federal Communications Commission’s initiative but ask the federal agency to protect sensitive data during the pilot.
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