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Schools can’t use E-rate funding for strictly cyber tools when it comes to cybersecurity, and ed tech advocates like the Consortium for School Networking have been lobbying to change that. However, most districts now have broadband, especially following pandemic changes to get students online.
The 14th annual E-rate Trends Report reveals the current successes and challenges of the E-rate program and evaluates how the program can most effectively support schools and libraries. “The E-rate program is crucial for modern education. “The E-rate program is crucial for modern education.
The broadband gap isn’t only a problem for remote learning. That Broadband Gap Bar? schools had high-speed broadband connections. A different nonprofit, Connected Nation, has picked up EducationSuperHighway’s broadband baton. But they may not have the tools they need. All in this Edtech Reports Recap.
Besides expanding internet use, districts can outfit makerspaces with the proper tools and technology — laptops, 3D printing, coding kits — for students to get started. As such, modern libraries should be outfitted with robust broadband and plenty of places for students and educators to charge equipment.
Kajeet ’s ConnectEdNow campaign , announced in June, aims to make broadband access more affordable by providing students with portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices, a $200 mobile device subsidy and discounted data plans from Verizon , T-Mobile and other LTE providers. Broadband access still is limited in some rural areas. by Erin Brereton.
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.
Without reliable connectivity, students and teachers lose access to the digital tools and resources that make learning engaging and relevant. “This year’s Trends Report indicates that the E-rate program is solid and steady,” said John Harrington, CEO of Funds For Learning.
Despite the challenges ahead, we are here to provide connectivity and E-rate support during COVID-19. Here are a few ways the E-rate and broadband community is working to help connect your students during the crisis. State E-rate Coordinators Alliance (SECA). Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Sadly, though, the reality is that millions of Americans — in rural and urban areas alike, and including many underrepresented minorities — lack the reliable broadband connections needed to access postsecondary and K-12 education in a nation that remains in partial lockdown. Related: A school district is building a DIY broadband network.
Organized by AMERIND Critical Infrastructure Manager Kimball Sekaquaptewa, this fiber build project will ultimately help Native American students in these Pueblos access high-speed broadband and gain essential skills through the power of technology. The Vision: A high-speed broadband network for pueblo schools and libraries.
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).
Increasingly, users of digital platforms, tools, and networks around the world are learning how important it is that their data is collected and used transparently and ethically. These are critical questions, and we are committed to ensuring that when it comes to our work, the answers around our use of broadband data are clear.
Eric Bredder (second from left), a teacher at Monticello High School, confers with students using the CNC milling machine, one of several computer-guided fabrication tools used by his classes. But Bredder can’t give students the tool he considers most indispensable to 21st-century learning — broadband internet beyond school walls.
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).
Be sure to consider the alignment of your strategy and expectations to the broadband internet infrastructure needed to support it. If states are serious about driving positive change via federal educational technology investments in ESSA, it will require a commitment to proactive and visionary leadership.
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. •
After all, schools have seen a rush of new devices and tools in the past few years, especially since the pandemic forced so much remote learning. There are some attempts to plug the cavernous hole that would leave in funding broadband advances.
“This pilot program represents a crucial step in providing the resources necessary to safeguard sensitive information and maintain secure, reliable access to digital learning tools. We commend the FCC for acknowledging the urgency of these issues and taking initial steps to address the cybersecurity concerns of E-rate applicants.”
EducationSuperHighway enthusiastically agrees with the Commission’s statement that the E-Rate Category 2 Rules implemented via the 2014 Modernization Orders have resulted in “more equitable and predictable” Category 2 funding, and fully supports the Commission’s intent to make these rules permanent. .
A new free tool launching later this year will provide critical information on K-12 internet pricing and availability across the nation. The tool, called Connect K-12, will provide actionable internet speed and pricing information on K-12 broadband connectivity across America using publicly available data from the federal E-rate program.
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. So seven years ago, knowing little about school broadband, he dove in. We’re almost to the end.”
Although the window has closed to submit e-rate applications, districts can still use the free resource, Compare & Connect K–12, by the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway, as they consider their needs over the next three to five years. For more, visit www.compareandconnectk12.org.
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. The undivided attention from our E-rate consultant Bruno was invaluable.
As internet connectivity becomes a necessity for schools and students, there is a new call for the government to make school bus wi-fi eligible for federal E-rate funding. The trend is growing. Specifically, Sen. Next page: Five examples of school bus wi-fi programs.
And today, the organization that helped Hering’s district reach its bandwidth goals released Compare & Connect K-12 , a new free tool that CEO Evan Marwell says will help provide high-speed broadband at lower costs for school leaders looking to amp up students’ digital access. “We They turned to E-rate, the $3.9
As the largest education technology program in the country, the Schools and Libraries program (E-rate) has transformed Internet access in our nation’s schools. In 2014, AASA played a lead role in modernizing the E-rate program, advocating for key changes such as: A policy update to make the program broadband-centric; and.
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.
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. The free tools available are incapable of providing the level of safety and security that students need and that CIPA requires.
In a July 2017 statement , FCC Chairman Ajit Pai designated August as Rural Broadband Month at the agency. Rural schools are the primary reason that the E-rate program exists, as they are the least servedand have the most need – their students. FOUR WAYS TO IMPROVE RURAL BROADBAND ACCESS. at home either.
The FCC’s historic E-rate modernization in 2014 paved the way for districts to expand their high-speed broadband and wi-fi and increase digital learning opportunities for students. “We were able to do a lot of this because of E-rate funding,” Dickerson said. Could your district do the same?
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.
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.
Dark fiber is helping some districts scale broadband for tomorrow, not today. After taking steps to update and increase funding for the E-rate program in 2014, this year the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began allowing applicants to apply for discounts for dark fiber and self-provisioned fiber. What is dark fiber?
With that in mind, here’s a guide to assess school district network needs and implement affordable broadband upgrades. Here are three key funding sources that can help: The FCC’s federal E-rate program provides public schools and libraries with funding for Internet services. School Network Structure.
Participates in the E-rate competitive bidding process. While we do provide guidance about E-rate filing strategies through our website, webinars, and other avenues, we do not directly apply to provide services to districts. Provides training on E-rate eligible services and technology implementation.
The data comes from the second annual State of the States report from the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway , which analyzed 2016 FCC E-rate data representing 10,499 school districts and more than 38 million students. Next page: Better broadband affordability). Eighty-eight percent of U.S. Thirty-four governors across the U.S.
As the State E-rate Director, Milan Eaton has been working on the Arizona Broadband for Education Initiative since it began in 2016. Tell us about your journey from working in the telecom industry to your role now as State E-rate Director for the Arizona Department of Education.
Since its inception, E-rate has been instrumental in making K-12 broadband more affordable and accessible than ever. ” These charges are the design, engineering, project management, and construction costs related to the building of new broadband infrastructure. .” Lit Fiber with Special Construction.
It is our core belief that w ith access to more information and more data on broadband speeds and pricing, school district leaders are empowered to find new service options, make informed broadband choices, and get more bandwidth for their budgets. ENSURING NATIONWIDE DATA ACCURACY. Collaboration and Clarification.
E-Rate , an FCC program that provides funding to help schools and libraries build fiber infrastructure and expand their wi-fi and broadband networks. With more E-Rate data comes a more detailed picture for the state of internet connectivity. million more students than in last year’s report, and a staggering 30.9
If the workday of an adult typically requires seamless broadband access, then it’s reasonable that today’s students need the same access during their school day. The key is the state leadership to make broadband accessible to all. There are no cap limits, no throttle rates, and no chastising schools when they need extra bandwidth.
As digital tools play an increasingly larger role in learning, states are targeting school broadband access for all students. Working with state leaders is a key factor in pushing these school broadband partnerships to success, said EducationSuperHighway founder and CEO Evan Marwell. New Mexico Gov. Martinez said in a statement.
With the increasing use of technology as a tool for learning, students and teachers need more than basic connectivity. ” WANRack recently delivered on a complex project that utilized federal E-rate and state matching funds in rural Elko County, Nevada. That amounts to 284 miles of fiber built across 13 states.
Over the past eight years, an unprecedented coalition united behind a simple, but important, goal: to improve broadband in America’s K-12 classrooms. Funds For Learning will utilize their extensive experience with K-12 broadband data and E-rate to manage the technology platform and ensure that the data is accurate and updated annually.
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