Bucks County school districts could lose $1.8 million a year in federal internet funding under a proposed FCC overhaul. More than 83,000 students across the county rely on the program's supported infrastructure.
Central Bucks School Board member Dana Foley raised the issue at the board's Aug. 27 meeting, warning that proposed changes to the E-Rate program would push technology costs onto local taxpayers. Bucks County's 13 public school districts, three career and technical centers and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit all rely on E-Rate. The program helps pay for internet access, Wi-Fi and secure internal networks used for instruction and operations.
"This only stands to drive costs up for our school district and taxes while eliminating critical infrastructure," Foley said.
The county's school superintendents and the Intermediate Unit have already pushed back, submitting a joint advocacy letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supporting E-Rate's continuation, Central Bucks Now reported.
What is E-Rate?
E-Rate is a nearly 30-year-old federal program that helps schools and libraries obtain affordable broadband service. Nationally, schools and libraries save at least $2.5 billion a year through E-Rate discounts, according to Funds for Learning, a firm that helps school districts comply with E-Rate rules. Between 2021 and 2025, nearly 25,000 entities received $13.2 billion in total E-Rate funds, K-12 Dive reported.
In Bucks County, about 99% of the funding benefits schools classified as nonrural. That puts Bucks County squarely in the crosshairs. The FCC is asking whether assistance should be restructured to favor rural schools over nonrural ones.
What the FCC is considering
The FCC approved a notice of proposed rulemaking on June 25 and published its request for public comment in the Federal Register on Aug. 14. The agency is asking whether the program should continue indefinitely, whether it should be "limited or sunset," whether Head Start and prekindergarten programs should stay eligible and whether schools receiving E-Rate funds should be required to let parents opt children out of screen-based instruction.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said when announcing the review in June that it is "aimed at empowering parents and ensuring that our E-Rate program produces the great educational outcomes stakeholders have intended," The 74 reported.
The proposals have not been adopted. The FCC clarified on July 29 that E-Rate still exists and that the rulemaking process will not immediately cut funding.
Local response
Foley and other Bucks County educators argued that concerns about student screen time should be addressed separately from infrastructure funding. The joint letter from superintendents and the Intermediate Unit supports that position, though the full text of the letter has not been publicly released.
Public comments on the FCC's review are due Oct. 13, and reply comments are due Nov. 12. AASA, The School Superintendents Association, is hosting a live virtual town hall on the E-Rate proposal on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
