Bulletins

Next month, the Federal Communications Commission will consider a proposal from its chairman, Tom Wheeler, that would raise taxes on phone lines by a modest 16 cents a month to make sure that every public school and library has reliable and fast Internet connections. The commissioners should vote yes.

This memorandum notifies State agencies and local program operators of recently updated rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding the calculation of discount rates under the E-Rate program for schools electing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

WASHINGTON — With a goal of fiber-optic lines reaching to every school and a Wi-Fi connection in every classroom, Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is expected on Monday to propose a 62 percent increase in the amount of money the agency spends annually to wire schools and libraries with high-speed Internet connections.

In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) releases the eligible services list(ESL) for funding year 2015 for the schools and libraries universal service support program (more commonly referred to as the E-rate program) and authorizes the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to open the annual application filing window no earlier than December 29, 2014. In this Order, we adopt the proposals made in the ESL Public Notice,with modifications as described herein. In so doing we streamline the structure of the ESL to provide guidance on the services the Commission found to be eligible for E-rate support in the recent E-rate Modernization Order.

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.

Earlier today, I had the pleasure of visiting the Pueblo of Acoma in central New Mexico along with Senator Tom Udall, my second visit to Indian Country in 2014. I saw buildings carved out of the earth by hand in the 17th Century, and also met with community leaders focused on unlocking the digital opportunities of the 21st Century.

Correcting the lack of robust Wi-Fi in schools and libraries is a major focus of our E-rate modernization efforts. Nearly 60 percent of schools in America lack sufficient Wi-Fi to provide their students and teachers with modern educational tools, and far too many schools simply have no Wi-Fi at all. As the President said a year ago in announcing the ConnectED initiative, which called for high-speed wireless connectivity in all schools and libraries, "[i]n a Nation where we expect free Wi-Fi with our coffee, why shouldn't we have it in our schools?"

Remarks of Commissioner Ajit Pai before the Federal Communications Bar Association. Washington, DC June 18, 2014.

Thank you for sharing your views on the importance of modernizing the E-Rate program to provide high-speed broadband to and within all of our nation's schools and libraries. I agree with each of the recommendations in your letter and hope to soon be able to adopt an Order beginning the process of E-rate modernization consistent with the approach you have outlined.

USAC offers a variety of training events for telecommunications carriers and applicants who participate in the Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program. In this section you can access publications, handouts, webinar recordings, educational tutorials, and other resources. All events and resources are offered free of charge.

I had the pleasure of visiting Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia yesterday. The visit confirmed my deep belief that broadband-enabled technologies have the power to revolutionize education – empowering students and teachers. I saw students using laptops to access science lessons and collaborate in the cloud on year-end projects. I saw English as a Second Language students using apps to help learn their new language at their own pace. I talked to students using connected technology, including 3-D printers.