FCC proposes using E-Rate to fund school bus Wi-Fi

The FCC proposes using E-Rate to fund Wi-Fi on school buses, aiming to address the Homework Gap and provide internet access to students in need.

In its efforts to bridge the digital divide, the US Federal Communications Commission revealed a proposal to allow the use of federal funding for Wi-Fi in school buses. If approved, this ruling would allow E-Rate program funding to equip school buses with Wi-Fi, providing substantial benefits to students, including millions of students caught in the Homework Gap. The E-Rate program allows eligible schools, libraries, and consortia to request universal service support for broadband connectivity services to and within schools and libraries. ‘While we’ve made progress getting many more families connected through our various broadband funding programs, the Homework Gap is still a hard fact of life for millions of schoolchildren in urban and rural America. This commonsense change could help kids who have no broadband at home,’ said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.