E-rate: Modernizing classrooms by the millions

When it comes to bringing public schools into the 21st century, the federal E-rate program has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Funded at up to $2.25 billion annually, E-rate gives schools and libraries discounts of 20 percent to 90 percent on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections--with the biggest discounts going to the nation's most disadvantaged schools.

In its first three years, E-rate provided almost $5.67 billion to help schools and libraries harness new technologies. The majority of funds in each of those years went to schools where 80 percent or more of students qualify for federal lunch assistance.

"I believe the E-rate program is one of the most significant programs of modern government," Federal Communications Commission chairman William Kennard said in a speech last year to the Educational Technology Leadership Conference. "This program is a down payment on our kids at the beginning of the century that will reap a return on our investment for the rest of this century."

Related article:
AFT gearing up to fight--but prefers cooperation

American Federation of Teachers, AFL•CIO - 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW - Washington, DC 20001