By Kevin Connors
(From Education Week, July 3, 2013)
Supporters of revamping the federal E-rate program have a long list of education and policy organizations—in addition to President Obama and Arne Duncan—in their corner.
Last week, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Mignon L. Clyburn proposed significant changes and upgrades to the federal E-rate program, an important piece of President Obama’s ConnectED Initiative, which aims to provide high-speed Internet and broadband to 99 percent of the nation’s schools within five years. Clyburn not only called for improvements to schools’ technology infrastructure, but also for changes in the E-rate program’s purchasing power and administrative oversight. Her proposal will have to undergo a review process by FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai, followed by an extensive period of public comment, before any such changes could become final.
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