A Case for Cheaper Broadband in Schools

EducationSuperHighway, a nonprofit organization with its roots in the high-tech industry has gathered some 40 executives to demand that the Federal Communications Commission change how it is wiring America’s schools.

EducationSuperHighway wants the FCC to add transparency and competition to the E-Rate program, which spends billions of dollars annually to bring broadband to schools. Schools are paying too much to get connected, the group said, and the pace of development is too slow. “This is about preparing a new work force,” said Evan C. Marwell, the chief executive of EducationSuperHighway. “The CEOs get that; both sides of the aisle in Congress get that.” Among the companies signing the letter are the chief executives of American Express, Dell, eBay, Facebook, Google, Hewlett-Packard and Yahoo. Most of the companies represented are in high tech. The signatories also include several well-known venture capitalists. Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook, is, along with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, one of the nonprofit’s backers.

Benton Foundation board member Jim Kohlenberger works with EducationSuperHighway]