E-Rate Program Commits Over $450 Million In Funding For Broadband in Schools And Libraries

From the FCC:

A record level of early financial support for broadband in schools and libraries has been approved by the E-rate program, the Federal Communications Commission’s program for supporting communications services in these institutions.
Reflecting a dedicated effort by the FCC to get critical funding for broadband to schools and libraries as quickly as possible, the $450 million in funding commitments for broadband is six times the amount approved at this time last year by USAC, the program administrator. Including other communications services, USAC committed a total of $607 million in support in the first wave of funding for 2014.
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Funded projects include:

• A statewide consortium in Maine will provide gigabit fiber connections to 28 library sites, which will support use of technology to help close the long distances in this large rural state.

• In Indiana, E-rate will help support 2.5 Gigabit Internet access for 21 sites near Indianapolis in the Warren Township Metropolitan School District, which has a 71 percent poverty rate. The district is using digital learning technologies to individualize education for students, and has increased its graduation rate by 12 percentage points over the last 5 years.

Additional Details From the Universal Service Administrative Company

USAC Releases First Commitments for Funding Year 2014 in the Schools and Libraries Program

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, School Libraries