NEA President Chase Applauds FCC Vote to Expand E-Rate Funding

NEA President Bob Chase voiced sharp disagreement with the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to fund the “E-Rate” program at nearly $1 billion below its promised level.

Chase expressed relief that the program survived attempts to eliminate it, but voiced deep concern over the impact that the FCC funding decision would have on applications and on school budgets.

More than 30,000 applications — totaling $2.02 billion — have already been received this year from school districts and libraries for the program’s discounts for Internet access, phone service, and internal connections for telecommunications. The FCC, which originally committed to $2.25 billion in annual funding for the program, scaled back that commitment to $1.275 billion for 1998.

“This agreement is deeply disappointing, because it says we’re willing to leave half our children behind on the journey into the 21st century,” Chase said.

The E-Rate program has been under attack from telecommunications companies who claim they cannot afford to pay into the fund. Those companies were given discounts in local access fees, along with other incentives in the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which also established the E-Rate program.

Posted August 31, 1998