FCC may kill $2B program that connects schools and libraries to Internet
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has proposed scaling back or eliminating the E-Rate program, a $2 billion annual initiative providing telecom discounts for schools and libraries, citing excessive screen time for students.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr led a 2-1 vote to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that seeks public comment on potential changes to the E-Rate program. Since 1997, E-Rate has offered discounts ranging from 20% to 90% on telecommunications equipment and services for schools and libraries.
Carr argued that schools have dramatically increased students' screen time over the last decade, with data showing more than half of students use a computer for up to four hours daily, and a quarter for over four hours. He claimed the program has “expanded exponentially” and no longer aligns with its original goal of providing basic internet access for educational purposes.
The draft NPRM includes a question on whether E-Rate should be limited or sunset given current high connectivity rates. Commissioner Anna Gomez, the FCC’s sole Democrat, asked Carr's office to remove language suggesting program termination but was denied. Gomez accused the FCC of acting as “the nation’s parent” and emphasized that screen time concerns should be addressed at home and in schools, not by the FCC.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) criticized the proposal, saying it undermines educational equity and economic competitiveness. The FCC previously scaled back E-Rate by ending funding for Wi-Fi hotspot lending and school bus Wi-Fi service.
E-Rate is funded through fees on phone companies, with annual spending typically over $2 billion and a cap of $5.2 billion. Advocacy groups such as the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB) and Public Knowledge condemned the proposal, urging preservation and expansion of the program. SHLB launched a “Save our E-Rate” page to encourage public comments to the FCC.
