Schools and libraries from around the US pleaded with the Federal Communications Commission to drop the idea of ending E-Rate, a $2 billion-a-year program that connects students and library visitors to the Internet.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has criticized school districts for having « experimented with a massive increase in screen time for students, » and said E-Rate expanded too far beyond its original purpose of « supporting basic Internet access to schools and libraries for educational purposes. » In June, Carr led a 2-1 vote to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking public comment on whether E-Rate should be « limited or sunset to reflect today’s extensive connectivity rates. »
Carr’s proposal could result in E-Rate cutting the discounts that schools and libraries receive for telecom services and equipment, and imposing more restrictions on how E-Rate money can be used. The FCC seeking comment on whether to sunset the program also raises the possibility that Carr might choose to axe E-Rate entirely.
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