Report Cards and Diplomas: Progress in Meeting the Goals of the E-Rate Program

On June 25, 2026, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) seeking comment on a wide array of questions about how to update the E-Rate program to reflect how schools and students actually use the Internet.  This item is part of the FCC’s “top-to-bottom” review of all Universal Service Fund programs to promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability. The E-Rate program was created in an era when many schools and libraries lacked access to the Internet, or service would be too expensive for schools to purchase themselves. Think connectivity concentrated in computer labs where students learned typing, not devices in the classroom enabling learning across every subject. Today, broadband and Wi-Fi are common in schools, with many students learning on computers and accessing the Internet on either school provided devices or devices they bring from home.  Good governance requires, from time to time, stopping to ask how to keep a program aligned with goals set out by Congress. To that end, the NPRM asks some important questions about whether the goals established by Congress have been met, and whether the E-Rate program should remain unchanged, continue with some changes, and if Congress envisioned the program to operate indefinitely. The NPRM also asks questions about how to ensure the E-Rate program is effective, how we empower parents, how to keep kids safe online, and whether there is a need to reduce screentime for kids during school hours.