The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing a program that helps fund internet connectivity at schools and libraries.
And that has local officials concerned because the program provided more than $800 million in funding just in New York over the past few years.
“I don't think it's a huge sum for the federal government, but it can be a very consequential sum for districts — particularly small rural districts, who are especially reliant in some cases on connectivity,” said Robert Lowry, senior education, finance and policy analyst for the New York State Council of School Superintendents.
The E-Rate program began in the late 1990s as the internet revolution was taking hold. It subsidizes internet services and equipment, reducing costs for local schools and libraries. The FCC is looking at whether to maintain or scale back the program’s scope and its impact on school performance. Part of the review will look at whether changes to the program would reduce harmful screen time at schools.
“While parents have the ability to supervise screen use and monitor Internet access at home, that parental control does not extend the same way into their kids’ classrooms and libraries,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement announcing the review.
Carr’s statement went on to note the FCC’s review comes as school districts and states are working to limit screen time and devices in schools.
But educators are pushing back. They said other agencies like the U.S. Department of Education should develop guidelines on screen time.
“E-Rate has always been a connectivity program; it’s not an education program,” said Jon Bernstein, co-chair of the EdLink Coalition, which represents beneficiaries of the E-Rate program. “Its metrics have been bandwidth and not test scores.”
Educators are also concerned that a change would add to fiscal worries about rising costs elsewhere, particularly in health insurance. In many cases, rising premiums will take up all if not more of the increase in state aid lawmakers approved in this year’s state budget, according to Lowry.
“Another thing that's really striking is just how dependent schools have become on the internet and internal computer networks for how they carry out their daily functions, so they have to continue to have those systems,” he said. “If E-rate isn't available to help pay for those, perhaps other services and functions will suffer.”
The public comment period ends Oct.13. But it could be some time after that before the agency develops final regulations.
