On November 12, 2012, Funds For Learning provided a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski containing over 1,700 signatures of parents, community members, and E-rate stakeholders in support of an increase in the annual E-rate funding cap. The signatures were collected via an open letter and petition during 2012.
The letter urges the Commission to allocate monies from the Connect America Fund to the E-rate program in order to ensure that schools and libraries across America can continue to receive advanced telecommunications and Internet connectivity at affordable rates. In a recent survey of E-rate applicants, over 90% of respondents indicated that E-rate funds were critical for the success of their school or library. While the E-rate program directly impacts over 95% of K-12 students in the country, demand for E-rate funds continues to exceed the annual funding cap almost 2:1.
