Henrico County school buses in Virginia are equipped with Wi-Fi hotspot equipment discounted by the federal E-Rate program. But if the funding mechanism disappears, the school district will need to re-evaluate its internet connectivity plans.
prospect. During the pandemic, the FCC’s $7.171 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program, authorized by Congress in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, provided support for schools and libraries that included funds for equipping school buses with Wi-Fi connections. After the public health emergency expired, the De- mocractic-majority FCC board approved the use of E-Rate funds to equip school buses for online access. That represented an expansion of boundaries for the long-standing E-Rate program, which was authorized by Congress as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and created by the FCC in 1997. The more recent expansion has opened new avenues
of support for school districts across the country. In the 2024 fiscal year, the FCC received 405 requests for school bus Wi-Fi equipment and services totaling more than $19 million, according to figures reported by the Universal Service Administrative Company, the entity created by FCC to administer the USF and at the heart of the current legal case in front of the Supreme Court. Awards come in the form of discounts rather than
grants. For school districts, this can mean discounts of 20 to 90 percent on the costs of equipment and required fees, with the greater percentages targeted to districts serving economically disadvantaged areas. While funding for Wi-Fi on buses represents only a small portion of overall USF funds, it has provided wel-
come support for a practice that some feel can be a boon to student success. “Wi-Fi-equipped buses turn travel time into productive learning time, helping students complete homework and extend learning beyond school walls,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, short for the Consortium for School Net- working. “Our members have witnessed the benefits of mobile broadband access during bus rides in diverse com- munities across the country, from California to Alabama.” He pointed out that in a digital society, ensuring
universal internet access is vital. “Wi-Fi on school buses is one important tool to help close the digital divide,” added Krueger, who addressed STN EXPO West attend- ees on the topic last summer. That has been the case for Farmington Municipal Schools in New Mexico, where several different funding sources have been supplemented by the federal funds. The school district first deployed wireless routers in nine buses and then, with satisfactory results, expanded to its entire 90-bus fleet. The district used Title 1 funds, then federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emer- gency Relief funds, and most recently E-Rate funds to fund the expansion. “We’ve received a lot of compliments from parents
who tell us they’re happy when their children are home and have already completed their homework,” said Billy Huish, transportation supervisor.
www.stnonline.com 21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
