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In July, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the use of E-rate funds to loan Wi-Fi hotspots that support students, school staff, and library patrons without internet access. For an update on the 2025 E-rate, register for an eSchool News webinar featuring expert insight. It is 2024 in the United States.
E-Rate Improvements Support Easier and Faster IT Upgrades. It didn’t cover every classroom, and it used the 802.11n specification. We couldn’t have the bandwidth that we currently provide to students without E-rate,” says Daryl Shelton , information systems director for the California district. “It How E-Rate 2.0
CoSN 2018: How Your District Can Prepare for an E-Rate Audit. If you’re using E-rate funds , prepare to be reviewed or audited. Most people don’t know what E-rate is until something goes wrong.”. E-rate allowed for a lot of growth in connectivity,” she said. “It phil.goldstein_6191.
School Districts Take Advantage of E-Rate’s Category One Funding. Once its existing WAN provider wanted to charge significantly more for the same bandwidth speed, Midlothian Independent School District administrators began shopping for a faster, more affordable network — and they got one this summer with the help of E-rate fund s.
CoSN 2018: Broadband and Cybersecurity Are Top IT Concerns. Cybersecurity and broadband/network capacity are tied for the top priorities for IT leaders in 2018, while budget constraints were marked as one of the most pressing challenges for a fourth straight year. meghan.bogardu…. Tue, 03/13/2018 - 09:56.
The broadband gap isn’t only a problem for remote learning. That Broadband Gap Bar? schools had high-speed broadband connections. Well, that was at the Federal Communications Commission’s 2014-15 short-term target of 100 Kbps per student for using tech in the classroom. All in this Edtech Reports Recap.
Key points: Schools still rely on E-rate funds to upgrade and protect their technology infrastructures Will cybersecurity receive E-rate funding? Since then, the program has transformed to help schools and libraries connect to high-speed broadband.
One of those programs is the Universal Service Program for Schools and Libraries, better known as E-rate. E-rate helps schools and libraries get affordable Internet access by discounting the cost of service based on the school’s location – urban or rural – and the percentage of low-income students served.
We are thankful for those who broadcast the news and the broadband providers that have opened their networks, lifted data caps and fees, and promised not to discontinue service. Broadband providers are facing unprecedented pressure to deliver reliable connectivity as more of our economy shifts online. These are positive things.
In 2014, the Federal Communications Commission modernized the E-rate program with the objective of closing the K-12 digital divide within five years. This catalyzed a sea change in the broadband available in America’s schools. Why has E-rate modernization worked so well? Setting clear connectivity goals.
SAN FRANCISCO — December 11, 2014 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted today to approve Chairman Wheeler’s latest proposal to complete modernization of the 18-year-old federal E-rate program. billion per year to account for growing bandwidth demand. billion per year to account for growing bandwidth demand.
As America’s classrooms become increasingly connected, the nation inches ever closer to reaching a major milestone: 100 percent of schools with high-speed internet access, defined as at least 100 kbps (or 100 thousand bits per second) per student. students with access to at least 100 kbps of broadband has increased from 4 million to 44.7
She is the current Digital Access Coordinator for the Learning Technology Center of Illinois (LTC) and an Illinois State E-rate Coordinator. Moreover, Mindy serves on several state and national associations such as the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA) and State E-rate Coordinator Alliance (SECA).
The ninth annual E-Rate Trends Report from Funds For Learning shows that the federal E-rate program is still critical in establishing broadband connectivity for schools and libraries. Related content: 5 school and library applicants weigh in on E-rate.
To support these initiatives, the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate program has recently been expanded to provide schools nationwide with subsidies for high-speed broadband and gigabit wireless networks. Next page: How schools are currently using E-Rate for digital success). billion in 2017.
In our work with state and school district leaders, one of the questions that comes up most frequently is whether we are E-rate consultants. Since E-rate is the primary funding source for broadband Internet for schools nationwide, our mission to connect all of America’s classrooms is intertwined with the program in many ways.
But Bredder can’t give students the tool he considers most indispensable to 21st-century learning — broadband internet beyond school walls. They’re building their own countywide broadband network. This is an equity issue,” said Bredder. “If The hardware on the towers then blasts that connection about 10 miles into the valley below.
A free tool from nonprofit EducationSuperHighway is intended to help district technology leaders compare broadband and connectivity information with other districts nearby and across the nation. Next page: District success stories and highlights of the new tool).
In a way, it’s a shift to recognize another aspect of the digital divide in America: the quality divide when it comes to implementation of edtech, which arises because all this new technology isn’t necessarily being put to the best use in classrooms. Last 10 Miles’ Even with these challenges, some advocates remain optimistic. “I
Be explicit with districts about expectations for access to technology in schools and classrooms. Be sure to consider the alignment of your strategy and expectations to the broadband internet infrastructure needed to support it.
classrooms, the nonprofit is preparing to shut down. Instead, EducationSuperHighway is sunsetting because, well, that’s what Marwell always intended it to do—once the organization reached its expressed goal of connecting 99 percent of K-12 students to high-speed broadband. We’re almost to the end.”
On April 1, 2020, the FCC announced extensions of several key E-rate deadlines to provide relief to program participants affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. As a reminder, EducationSuperHighway’s tools and resources are available to support your E-rate application, including: • Form 470 Best Practices. •
The Virginia Department of Education’s Learning Infrastructure Coordinator, Susan Clair, spearheads the effort to ensure school leaders are aware of the E-rate program, funding, tools and resources needed for a successful broadband upgrade. DH: We couldn’t have done this project without Bruno, our E-rate consultant.
One of the most important features of E-rate is that it set an annual target of $1 billion annually to help schools upgrade their internal networks and implement Wi-Fi in every classroom. That amounts to $150 in E-rate Category 2 funding per student, to deploy a robust LAN / Wi-Fi network.
Key points: Without continued funding, schools and libraries may struggle to maintain or upgrade technological infrastructure See article: 3 ways the E-rate program helps level up learning See article: Will cybersecurity receive E-rate funding?
E-rate is complicated. But complying with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) -- a requirement of E-rate -- doesn't have to be. It also provides an overview of E-rate, with answers to commonly asked questions about eligibility, services supported, and audits. What is E-rate?
“What you find out very quickly as teachers is not just the power of using technology in the classroom, but the power to extend learning, to carry it beyond just the school day,” says Brian Nicol, communications coordinator and, until recently, a teacher at the Wisconsin school district. Share them in the comments.
And with online assessments now being required in many states, reliable broadband access is also essential so that students’ knowledge and skills are accurately represented, and technology is not a barrier to achievement and its documentation. Accessing the E-Rate and Matching State Funds. Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D.,
After some quick research, Hering came across EducationSuperHighway , a non-profit dedicated to bringing internet access to every public classroom in America. One of the things we can do to make sure districts get as much broadband as they are paying for is to share info about what other [districts] are getting.”
Common Sense, SETDA unveil toolkit to help states, schools apply for billions in federal aid under the E-rate program modernization. A new E-rate funding toolkit from Common Sense and SETDA explains the changes to the federal program, available funding, and best ways to apply for it.
This year’s E-rate cycle may be over, but in order to be well prepared for the next one, now is the time to start the connectivity conversation with your school district. In today’s classrooms, high-speed internet is no longer an option; it has become a necessity.
In our work with state and school district leaders, one of the questions that comes up most frequently is whether we are E-rate consultants. Since E-rate is the primary funding source for broadband Internet for schools nationwide, our mission to connect all of America’s classrooms is intertwined with the program in many ways.
What Good is E-Rate Modernization if Schools Can’t Pay for What’s Connected to Broadband? The dust is starting to settle from the recent changes to the federal E-Rate program. Schools are actively pursuing increases to bandwidth by filing their Form 471s before next week. ” Exactly, Sarah.
Key points: Schools must ensure greater access to the tech tools students and teachers need The digital divide still holds students back DEI in action: eSN Innovation Roundtable For more news on classroom equity, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub Believing that all students have the same access to technology is a mistake.
Russell Cheatham and Mr. Tom Fitzgerald, respectively the CIO and IT Director of Brevard County Public Schools, have both seen first-hand how dramatically classroom technology needs have evolved over the years. Both have had long careers at Brevard and have worked closely to implement technology into the schools’ digital learning programs.
In 2016, EducationSuperHighway worked with the Virginia Department Of Education (VDOE) to hire an E-rate and school technology specialist. She’s a big advocate for expanding broadband access and digital equity, and she has become a key strategic planner for school Internet in Virginia.
In the effort to ensure that all students have equal access to the broadband they need for digital learning, there are challenges and triumphs every year. There is no doubt, however, that incredible progress has been made in connecting America’s classrooms to high-speed Internet. The FCC Announced Rural Broadband Month.
school districts have reached the minimum connectivity–100 kbps per student, as recommended by the Federal Communications Commission–to help students effectively use technology in the classroom. Next page: Better broadband affordability). Eighty-eight percent of U.S. Thirty-four governors across the U.S.
Their agenda includes: Ensuring ample funding for educational technology, enhancing the effectiveness of the E-rate program, safeguarding the privacy and security of student data, and fostering digital equity.
With just over two million people living in New Mexico and almost 700,000 of them spread across rural regions, many New Mexico students still lack access to the high-speed broadband necessary to take advantage of digital learning in the classroom. Learn more about our Broadband Upgrade Consulting Program.
School board members play an important role in school districts’ ability to improve the level and quality of digital learning opportunities in the classroom. With that in mind, here’s a guide to assess school district network needs and implement affordable broadband upgrades. School Network Structure. How to Fund Network Upgrades.
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