Modernizing the E-Rate Program for Schools and Libraries NPRM

The Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program is a vital source of support for connectivity to—and within—schools and libraries. In particular, the E-Rate program provides funding for internal connections, which are primarily used for Wi-Fi, a technology that has enabled schools and libraries to transition from computer labs to one-to-one digital learning. We propose to make permanent the approach adopted by the FCC in 2014 to fund these internal connections. In so doing, we seek to ensure that our nation’s students and library patrons have access to high-speed broadband and further the FCC's goal of bridging the digital divide.