The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved final rules to enable schools and libraries to use E-Rate program resources to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to students and library patrons who don’t have a reliable internet connection at home.
The E-Rate program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in obtaining affordable telecommunication devices and internet access. Since its creation in 1996, the FCC has worked to modernize the E-Rate program to focus on bringing high-speed broadband to and within schools and libraries.
According to the FCC, the new rules will:
- Allow schools and libraries to use E-Rate funding to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots and support high-speed internet access for students, school staff, and library patrons in both rural and urban parts of the country.
- Adopt a budget mechanism that sets a limit on the amount of support that an applicant can request for Wi-Fi hotspots and services over a three-year period. In the event that demand for E-Rate support exceeds available funding in a given funding year, eligible on-premises category one and category two equipment and service requests will be prioritized and funded before eligible off-premises equipment and service requests.
- Adopt numerous safeguards to protect the integrity of the E-Rate program, including measures to ensure the supported Wi-Fi hotspots and services are in use, are used for educational purposes, are not funded through other sources, and are properly documented for auditing purposes.
- Require compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
The new rules were approved by FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez, the three Democrats on the commission. The two Republican members – Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington – voted against the rule changes.
