FCC may kill $2B program that connects schools and libraries to Internet
The Federal Communications Commission was roundly criticized today for proposing to scale back or eliminate E-Rate, a $2 billion-a-year Universal Service program that provides discounts for telecom services and equipment in schools and libraries.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said E-Rate should be changed because students are getting too much screen time. He [led a 2-1 vote][1] to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes changes and asks the public to comment on them.
"Over the last decade, school districts across the country experimented with a massive increase in screen time for students," Carr said at today's meeting.
[Read full article][2]
[Comments][3]
[1]: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-review-e-rate-program-ensure-it-fulfills-congresss-vision
[2]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/fcc-may-kill-2b-program-that-connects-schools-and-libraries-to-internet/
[3]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/fcc-may-kill-2b-program-that-connects-schools-and-libraries-to-internet/#comments
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/fcc-may-kill-2b-program-that-connects-schools-and-libraries-to-internet/
