Are slow internet connections holding back American schools?

In 2012, 70 percent of schools lacked internet connections fast enough to support basic administrative and instructional needs (100 kilobytes per person), but now only 1.6 percent of school districts fail to meet that low bar. Despite this progress, the Federal Communications Commission is considering changes to the E-Rate program, which subsidizes internet access in schools across the country. The proposal would cap spending and potentially decrease the funding available to schools. This would threaten recent gains and create additional barriers to helping the few remaining school districts that lack adequate internet connections.

The proposal to cap E-Rate spending is only in the early stages, and there’s not sufficient information to judge at this moment whether it would threaten current progress. The original purpose of E-Rate according to the FCC was to ensure that schools have access through discounts and grants. But capping spending seems insufficient for addressing the avowed goals of dealing with fraud in the E-Rate program. Stepping up enforcement or requiring more-detailed reporting would better address that problem. If a cap prevented school districts from getting E-Rate funds that they currently receive, then it would slow down average internet speeds. School district demand for broadband is somewhat close to supply. School districts use E-Rate to pay not just for equipment like routers and Wi-Fi, but also monthly internet connection fees. Any cuts to E-Rate could directly influence a school’s ability to afford internet access.