“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”
I remember memorizing and analyzing this passage from the Declaration of Independence in school. It remains a valuable message to our nation today, serving as a reminder of the principles on which the United States of America was founded. It is important that our children “our nation’s future” learn and retain these rights. But what does it take to make this possible? The answer –access to a good, competitive education.
Our schools have been charged with the monumental task of delivering quality education to our children: equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and skills that will prepare them to pursue the path of their choosing; in other words, a life that frees them to follow their dreams. A good education shapes children into the policy-makers, the dreamers, the innovators, and the leaders that can boldly face the challenges of tomorrow — the type of people daring enough to fight for the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
But our schools are already facing a challenge: obtaining funding for the technology services necessary to give our children an edge in an increasingly globalized and technology-savvy society. President Obama’s ConnectED initiative is demanding that this issue be addressed, and the FCC will soon propose revisions to the E-rate program to increase both its size and efficacy. Funds For Learning® has proposed a set of simple changes, however, that will help equip the E-rate program to further succeed and, more importantly, guarantee that all schools have a fair chance of securing the technology funding they need. There should be no “losing”¬ù party in the process of obtaining E-rate funding. It should not be a fight pitting school against school. This is our children we are investing in, after all. The E-rate must be equitably accessible. It should also be adaptable to serve diverse needs. Enacting the changes proposed by Funds For Learning’s plan would encourage schools to create a budget before applying for services while removing the priority system, thus granting schools the freedom to apply for any eligible services they need the most. This would ensure that all applicants have an equal opportunity to receive the funds they need while allowing the funds to be applied where they can do the most good.
The Declaration of Independence changed the course of history for America. You can help change the course of E-rate to better serve our schools and our students for the future. Will you join Funds For Learning?
To show your support for the FFL E-rate 2.0 Proposal, please contact reform@fundsforlearning.com or visit this page for instructions on submitting comments to the FCC.
