Policy | News
100 Ed Tech Leaders Call on FCC To Update E-rate
A group of 100 education technology leaders have partnered with EducationSuperHighway to join the growing chorus urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to update the E-rate program, which provides funding for broadband in schools and libraries.
In a letter representing CEOs and innovators from companies such as "Amplify, Channel One, Class Dojo, DreamBox Learning and LearnZillion," according to a news release, the group expressed support for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's "call for modernization of the E-rate program, and for swift action to immediately address the connectivity gap, which starts with ensuring ubiquitous Wi-Fi."
The letter states that "nearly 40 million K-12 students are currently without the Internet access and Wi-Fi needed to personalize learning, empower teachers, connect parents and ensure equal educational opportunities for all," according to information released by the group.
"We cannot let another year pass without providing our students the bandwidth they need for digital learning," said Josh Reibel, CEO of Amplify Learning, in a prepared statement. "Moving quickly to ensure schools have robust wireless access immediately is a critical first step in the E-rate modernization process."
About the Author
Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at jbolkan@gmail.com.