FCC E-Rate Reforms Don't Rate With Education Groups

Count the National Education Association, the Parent-Teacher Association, the American Federation of Teachers and a whiteboard full of other education associations as very concerned about Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposed changes to the E-rate program a subsidy for advanced communications services to schools and libraries, which they argue could be a rush to reform that jeopardizes the program.

The FCC signaled a vote for the July 11 meeting on reforms to E-rate, which is part of the FCC's efforts to make wireless more of a player and migrate away from voice subsidies, which will eventually be zeroed out. Said one industry source, the education groups were looking for more money over a longer period of time than they will be getting. The source suggested it could be Chairman Wheeler's next big fight.

The groups, who are beneficiaries of the E-rate program, are concerned that the FCC cannot support a five-year, $5 billion investment in Wi-Fi connections without raiding funding for ongoing broadband connectivity. They also don't like a per-pupil allocation formula for schools, a one-size-fits-all approach that they argue is grossly oversimplified.