Losing E-Rate could cause school staff cuts, say superintendents

A group representing school superintendents told the Federal Communications Commission it is concerned the FCC's recent notice of proposed rulemaking on E-Rate could lead to the elimination of the program that funds connectivity for schools and libraries, an outcome the group says could lead to "staff reductions or cuts to other areas." The comments, summarizing a series of meetings between school and library advocates and FCC officials, were filed by the School Superintendents Association on Friday, July 10, in response to the FCC's NPRM posing questions on reforming and streamlining E-Rate. Those questions, which included asking whether E-Rate should be targeted solely to rural areas and whether the program should be eliminated entirely, have led to concern and organized pushback from school and library advocates. As the AASA's filing pointed out, E-Rate is "the fifth largest stream of federal funding in the nation's schools," and were it to go away, "school districts will need to pay for internet access using other funds, which could cause staff reductions or cuts to other areas." E-Rate is estimated to serve 100,000 schools, 12,000 school districts and 16,000 library systems across all 50 states. The superintendents group explained that E-Rate is now essential to schools' basic functioning.