A variety of education programs will feel effects of shutdown
As Congress failed to reach a budget agreement on Sept. 30, triggering a federal government shutdown, education leaders and ed-tech stakeholders wondered how long, and to what extent, education programs would be impacted.
Experts are unsure how long the shutdown will continue, and while some education programs receiving mandatory funding will be sustained, others will see a delay in funds and activity.
The federal eRate program, which is administered independently and funded by the Universal Service Fund, will continue to function. However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which sets eRate policy, is impacted by the shutdown, and anything needing approval or guidance would likely be delayed or halted during the shutdown due to staff limitations, said Clare McCann, a New America Foundation policy analyst. As of October 1, the FCC’s website displayed a bare-bones message informing visitors of the shutdown.…Read More