Bulletins

Washington, DC (October 16, 2014) – New results from CoSN's (Consortium for School Networking's) 2nd Annual E-rate and Infrastructure Survey reveal troubling gaps in U.S. school districts broadband and technology infrastructure. The report, released today, identifies affordability and adequate funding as the most significant barriers to delivering sufficient Internet connectivity and transforming the learning environment in schools. This chief hurdle mirrors the major barrier identified in the 2013 survey. Other challenges identified include lack of capacity to ensure the network reliability needed for online assessments and instruction and grossly inadequate networks in the nation’s rural school districts.

State School Connectivity Profiles September 19, 2014 WC Docket No. 13-184

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Henderson as Chief Executive Officer. Henderson will assume his new position effective September 3, 2014.

• E-Rate Modernization Staff Report
• E-Rate Maps of Fiber Connectivity to Schools and Libraries

Tenth Broadband Progress Notice of Inquiry. By the Commission: Chairman Wheeler issuing a statement; and Commissioners Pai and O’Rielly approving in part, concurring in part and issuing separate statements.

Washington, D.C. – FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced the creation of a Universal Service Fund (USF) Strike Force—housed in the agency’s Enforcement Bureau—dedicated to combatting waste, fraud, and abuse in Commission funding programs. The USF Strike Force will be led by Loyaan Egal, who joins the FCC after serving as a senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Washington, DC – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to modernize the federal E-rate program with the goal of providing greater Wi-Fi access to millions of students. In response, Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia, made the following statement...

Proposal Slashes Funding Available for Internet Connectivity. Tomorrow, the FCC is scheduled to vote on a proposal to change E-Rate, a program designed to help schools and libraries connect to the Internet. That proposal promises over $5 billion for Wi-Fi but doesn't identify where the money will come from to fund this new program.

Any good math teacher would give the FCC's E-Rate proposal an "F" because the numbers just don’t add up. It promises over $5 billion for Wi-Fi but doesn't identify where the money will come from to fund this new program. As it stands, the proposal will blow a $2.7 billion hole in E-Rate's budget—one that the FCC has promised outside parties it’ll fill with a post-election increase in Americans’ phone bills.

E-Rate Central writes to express our support for the FCC's efforts to modernize the E-rate program. Beginning the process of reforming the E-rate program now is an important and timely first step toward achieving the critical national goal of providing America’s students with access to high - speed broadband in their schools and libraries within the next five years.