The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering whether to eliminate E-rate support for school bus Wi-Fi services. In response, the New York State E-rate Coordinator recently submitted comments urging the Commission to maintain eligibility for these services.
The filing argues that Wi-Fi on school buses is not simply an “off-campus” service, but an extension of the school environment where districts remain legally responsible for student safety and conduct. In this view, an internet-enabled bus functions much like a “mobile study hall,” giving students, particularly those with long commutes, valuable time to complete assignments.
The comments also address two common concerns:
- Filtering and content controls. The filing recommends that bus Wi-Fi traffic be routed through a district’s existing Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) filters. Many districts already implement this safeguard, allowing access only to district networks and approved educational sites while blocking social media and other non-educational platforms (examples include Farmington Municipal Schools in New Mexico, shown in the filing).
- Fiscal impact. Bus Wi-Fi requests represent a fraction of total E-rate demand — about 0.03% of the program’s $5.06 billion annual cap. According to the filing, funding these requests would not “break the E-rate bank.”
As school systems explore strategies to close the homework gap and provide equitable access to online resources, the eligibility of bus Wi-Fi remains an important question. The FCC is accepting reply comments in GN Docket No. 25-223 through September 23, 2025. The next open meeting of the FCC is scheduled for September 30, 2025.
Funds For Learning will continue to track this issue and provide updates as the FCC considers whether to continue support for bus Wi-Fi within the E-rate program.
