E-rate reforms sought to bring broadband to all
Published: March 1, 2014
California’s delegation to NSBA’s Advocacy Institute pressed its call for federal E-rate Program reforms and greater funding to ensure that small and rural school districts can take full advantage of the program that has helped thousands of schools get online.
Established by Congress in 1966, the E-rate Program provides money to improve access to telecommunications services for public schools and libraries, especially in rural and impoverished communities. The program, currently funded at $2.4 billion a year, offers discounts on telecommunications, technology and broadband services.
Following up on written comments to the Federal Communications Commission last fall, CSBA representatives expressed strong support for expanding broadband services to schools and libraries, and emphasized that local educational agencies in California must have sufficient technological capacity to administer new computerized assessments that are key to the ongoing transition to new Common Core State Standards.
CSBA and NSBA are asking Congress to increase E-rate funding to $5 billion a year, streamline program administration and maximize local decision making and flexibility so the program works for all LEAs.