Gardner (R-CO), tasks the FCC with modifying its E-Rate regulations, within six months of the legislation’s passage. Formed a decade ago, E-Rate is administered by the Universal Services Administration Company under the direction of the FCC. It currently pro- vides discounted broadband services for schools and libraries, and the bill would, in essence, close the loop on federal defi- nitions of the school bus as an extension of the classroom. As pilot programs are implemented, many schools are optimistic and see the benefit of the well-wired school bus, replete with Wi-Fi, as a game changer for education—particularly as 5G LTE networks become more available, and students continue to be voracious users of the internet.
INNOVATION OR CAUTION? Many districts like the concept. Oth-
Hillman, Michigan. Te program will require FCC approval, but stands to benefit students as they travel to-and-from school and turn otherwise idle time into a productive learning session.
Te idea is still relatively new, and it has a way to go. Te entire concept is gaining ground, as many see it as a necessary feature—particularly to underserved rural areas where Wi-Fi is not always available. Two U.S. senators from both sides of the
aisle are supporting legislation that would increase the ability of school districts to pay for school bus Wi-Fi. Senate Bill 2958, spon- sored by Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Cory
ers agree with it, though the local school budget to support it can be dubious. Others have mixed feelings about its implementation and any unforeseen complications it could cause with buses that are already being saddled with much technology. For some school districts, there’s defi- nite interest, but such Wi-Fi programs are not on their radar—yet. “At this time, we have no plans to offer any Wi-Fi service to our students on school buses,” said Neal Abramson, director of transportation for the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. “We do not allow students to use cell phones on our buses.” Tis, however is a common mispercep-
tion. Wi-Fi allows students to connect on the school bus, using the wired school
bus routers transmission to the student’s device, laptop or tablet. Te vehicle has a specific and secured wireless local area network, or WLAN, that is integrated with the school district’s overall network. Administrators may monitor and control activity, mitigating the real or perceived risk of inappropriate student behavior online. Still, Abramson voiced trepidation when it comes to making changes, especially with Wi-Fi, as he said he fears that it could interfere with legacy wiring and electronics. Te perception is that interference is possible and that can be problematic. “My biggest issue with add- ing any electronics to our school buses is that every time we add something— cameras, GPS, child check, etc.—we run the risk of damaging wiring in the bus, causing down time and expensive repairs,” he added. Additionally, Abramson said any changes would require school board approval, which is currently not a district priority. In fact, he said that neither the administrator nor anyone on the board has requested any research into school bus Wi-Fi. “Besides that, since a major- ity of our regular bus routes are in the city of Malibu, all wireless services are not very good, based on the geography of the area,” he continued. “Cellular service in the area has a lot of dead spots, so Wi-Fi on the buses probably would not work consistently enough to provide any benefit to our students.” However, Michael Flood, vice pres- ident of strategy for Kajeet, said that Kajeet’s SmartBus solution—now used in connecting 155 fleets in 35 states— has never encountered an issue with legacy wiring or electronics. In fact, he
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