Kristen Corra

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society have submitted a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration urging the agency to provide states with broad deference and expansive flexibility to determine which locations qualify as a community anchor institution under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition submitted reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission regarding the In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete request for comments. SHLB's reply focused on the Universal Service Fund, and particularly the E-Rate and Rural Health Care programs. "We continue to emphasize that recommendations should ensure that Commission-led initiatives ultimately work to benefit anchor institutions and their communities and streamline the administration of the E-Rate and Rural Health Care programs."

At the July Federal Communications Commission Open Meeting, the FCC approved, on a 3-2 vote, an order to make Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet services eligible for E-rate program support for libraries and K-12 schools. This historic decision adopts a SHLB Coalition recommendation we and others proposed over three years ago. The proposed order allows schools and libraries to apply for E-rate funds to help offset the costs of purchasing Wi-Fi hotspots and I

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition issued a set of crucial recommendations to State and U.S. Territory Broadband Leaders as they shape their BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) Five-Year Action Plans and Initial and Final Proposals. “Community anchor institutions play a crucial role in ensuring open, affordable, high-performance broadband for everyone in the US,” said Adrianne Furniss, Executive Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

The American Library Association and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition spoke with the Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Task Force staff and FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s advisor on Feb. 6, 2023 about including community anchor institutions (CAIs) on the FCC’s National Broadband Map. The groups expressed concerns about the current treatment of libraries and said CAIs that purchase mass-market broadband service should be included on the map.

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition filed comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SFNPRM) to remove barriers to infrastructure investment.