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E-Rate Program Supporting Wi-Fi Services in Over 42,700 Schools Nationwide

The Schools and Libraries program, also known as E-rate, provides funding to make internet connectivity and other telecommunications services more affordable for schools and libraries. Created as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, E-rate provides discounts on the cost of services, with high-poverty and rural schools and libraries receiving additional funding. In 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the E-rate Modernization Order as part of an effort to update the program and expand high-speed Wi-Fi access to schools and libraries.

This analysis, in partnership with Funds for Learning®, provides a state-by-state breakdown of how much each state benefits from the program’s expansion to support high-speed Wi-Fi in schools and libraries, based on the 2015 E-rate fund disbursement data reported by the Universal Service Administrative Company.

Key findings include:

Related Advocacy

In October 2017, All4Ed and Funds for Learning® submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the state of high-speed internet access, including reliable Wi-Fi, in schools and classrooms through the E-rate program. Relatedly, in November 2017, more than 240 superintendents, school leaders, and local and national education organizations urged the FCC to continue its support of high-speed Wi-Fi services in schools and libraries through the federal E-rate program. Read our comments below.

All4Ed and Funds for Learning Letter Superintendents Letter Organizations Letter