E-rate applicants are remarkably diverse. Schools and libraries. Urban and rural. Large and small. East coast and west coast; and everywhere in-between coasts. Despite how different they are, E-rate applicants are nearly unanimous about the program’s impact: because of the E-rate more students and library patrons are connected to the internet, broadband speeds are faster, and prices are lower. And, not only is the E-rate program succeeding in its mission, the administration of the program is improving. These are a few of the major findings in this year’s nationwide survey of E-rate applicants.
Over the course of the next five weeks, Funds For Learning will be providing a detailed review and analysis of the survey’s findings. A record number of 1,763 respondents participated. Please take the time now to review the results. The initial findings have been submitted to the FCC and the entire report is available online. Next week we will start our comprehensive analysis with a review of the E-rate program’s overall efficacy, breaking down the survey results by applicant size, type and location.
