Keeping Schools and Libraries Connected: Why E-Rate Matters

Presented by John Harrington, CEO of Funds For Learning; Megan Sutherland, Chief Operating Officer, Prince George's County Memorial Library System; Dr. LaTonya Goffney, AASA President, Superintendent, Aldine Independent School District (TX); Jon Bernstein, President and Founder/Co-Chair, Bernstein Strategy Group/EdLiNC; and Joseph Wender, Executive Director, Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB) Moderated by Noelle Ellerson Ng, Chief Advocacy & Governance Officer, AASA This podcast is hosted by edWeb.net. The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here. For nearly 30 years, E-Rate has made broadband affordable for schools and libraries. This year, the FCC is asking whether it still should. On June 25, 2026, the Commission adopted a top-to-bottom review of the program (FCC 26-41, WC Docket No. 26-133). Among the questions on the table: whether E-Rate should be narrowed, reoriented, or limited to rural communities only; which services should remain eligible, including internal connections and special construction; how CIPA should be interpreted; and new conditions on how students use funded networks. Nothing has been decided. What the FCC hears from the field this fall is what shapes the rules that follow. Listen to advocates and experts already engaged in this proceeding in a working session on what the FCC actually asked, what each scenario would mean for your connectivity and your budget, and how to get your district's experience into the federal record. Comments are due October 13, 2026, with reply comments due November 12. Listeners will leave this edWeb podcast able to explain the proceeding to a board or cabinet, identify which line items in their own budget are exposed, and file or support a comment before the window closes. This edWeb podcast is important for any educator who is concerned about funding and maintaining internet connectivity for schools and libraries. Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.