Two Reports: “FCC Unveils 3-Year Cybersecurity Pilot Program For Schools, Libraries” & “FCC Approves Rules to Support Wi-Fi Hotspots Through E-Rate Program”

1) FCC Unveils 3-Year Cybersecurity Pilot Program For Schools, Libraries

From StateScoop:

After approval last month, the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday announced the details of a new, three-year pilot program to help schools and libraries strengthen their cybersecurity measures and combat increasingly frequent cyberattacks.

The Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program will provide up to $200 million in funding from the Universal Service Fund, a federal fund that helps low-income communities access telecommunications services at lower rates, to help schools and libraries across the country better protect their broadband networks and data.

The FCC said applications will open Aug. 29.

Learn More, Read the Complete Article

2) FCC Approves Rules to Support Wi-Fi Hotspots Through E-Rate Program

From the FCC:

Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to approve final rules to support the students, school staff, and library patrons around the country who find themselves on the wrong side of the digital and educational divide. Now, schools and libraries will be able to utilize E-Rate resources to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots which will provide internet access for those individuals without a reliable connection at home.

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Today’s Report and Order takes the next step towards modernizing the E-Rate program to ensure students, school staff, and library patrons can have the internet access needed for a 21st century quality education, and will:

• Allow schools and libraries to use E-Rate funding to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots and support high-speed internet access for students, school staff, and library patrons in both rural and urban parts of the country.

• Adopt a budget mechanism that sets a limit on the amount of support that an applicant can request for Wi-Fi hotspots and services over a three-year period. In the event that demand for E-Rate support exceeds available funding in a given funding year, eligible on-premises category one and category two equipment and service requests will be prioritized and funded before eligible off-premises equipment and service requests.

• Adopt numerous safeguards to protect the integrity of the E-Rate program, including measures to ensure the supported Wi-Fi hotspots and services are in use, are used for educational purposes, are not funded through other sources, and are properly documented for auditing purposes. • Require compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act

Read the Complete FCC Statement

Filed under: Data Files, Funding, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Reports