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U.S. schools need to remedy inadequate Internet access

A story in The Washington Post reports that at a primary school in Montana, the teacher must limit Internet use “or there won’t be enough bandwidth for the eighth-grader’s lesson.” But, it’s not just schools in rural areas that encounter this problem.

“An estimated 72 percent of public schools – in the countryside, suburbs and cities – lack the broadband speeds necessary to fully access the Internet, according to Education Superhighway, a nonprofit organization that wants to improve digital access in schools,” said The Post.

In order to remedy this problem, many community groups – including CWA – are asking the FCC to update E-rate -- the federal government’s largest education tech program. According to The Post, “E-rate funding provides schools and libraries with discounts of 20 percent to 90 percent on telecommunications costs. The allocation is based on need, with poor districts getting priority and a greater share of money.”

Getting schools up to 21st-century speed (Washington Post, Nov. 13, 2013)