This E-rate trick can help schools combat net neutrality repeal

With concerns about school internet access buzzing in the wake of the FCC’s vote to repeal net neutrality, anxiety over school internet access might transfer to the federal E-rate program–but there’s no need to worry, according to E-rate experts.

When the FCC voted to repeal net neutrality, education stakeholders worried the move would be a step backwards for digital equity inside classrooms. Some worried that even in classrooms with digital equity, net neutrality’s repeal would leave students in low-income neighborhoods at a disadvantage and widen the homework gap.

While net neutrality’s impact on the marketplace and internet access has yet to be determined, there are things schools can do to protect themselves if they’re worried about throttling or blocking–concerns brought up during the net neutrality debate, said John Harrington, CEO of E-rate consulting firm Funds For Learning.…Read More

Internet service upgrade coming to poor and rural schools

The Federal Communications Commission is expected on Sept. 23 to approve an overhaul of the $2.25 billion eRate program, which subsidizes internet service for schools and public libraries, to give schools more options for faster internet service, allow for community Internet service and to begin pilot programs for digital textbooks, the New York Times reports. The proposed e-Rate order would allow schools and libraries to use federal funds to lease unused local communication lines–known as dark fiber–to connect to the internet, a potentially faster and lower-cost connection than currently offered through many local telecommunications companies. Some schools still do not have broadband connections, the F.C.C. noted in its National Broadband Plan, released this year. The company that administers e-Rate received at least 200 requests in the 2009 fiscal year for money to pay for dial-up internet connections. The program mostly serves schools in poor and rural communities…

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Oregon school lets students borrow laptops for home internet access

Just as finals approached, David Orozco’s family decided to drop internet access to save money. But the Canby High School senior had a group project on Bosnia and Herzegovina due in Economics class, and he needed to look up music on YouTube for choir practice. Now, school leaders have presented a possible solution to Orozco’s problem, reports the Oregonian. Last month, they launched “Check It Out,” a program that allows students to borrow laptops and wireless modems for free internet access at home. The program sheds light on a predicament facing families as they search for ways to trim budgets. Although many now consider online access essential for academic success, nearly one-third of U.S. households have no internet connection, according to data from a 2009 Census Bureau survey. At Canby High School, where a striking one in 17 students is considered homeless, there’s often a waiting list for the laptops and wireless modems, especially on weekends. “We definitely know there’s a need for the program,” said principal Pat Johnson. Each night, students can check out one of 10 laptops bought by the school and one of 20 wireless modules, which were provided free of charge by Cricket Wireless. Though the school’s computer lab has 40 computers, it closes at 5 p.m., he said. These days, every laptop gets checked out every night, and 90 students—including Orozco—have turned in permission slips to participate…

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