Policy
Ensuring safety of children is a top priority for a proposed review of the federal E-Rate program being pushed by Chairman Brendan Carr.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
June 4, 2026 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seems poised to embark on a new review of the E-Rate program.
The review is being proposed by Chairman Brendan Carr. It will be considered at the FCC’s open meeting later this month, on June 25, a Wednesday release from Carr’s office said.
“Research has now been pouring in that America’s experiment with heightened screen time in schools may be related to the negative educational outcomes we are now seeing in classrooms across the country,” Carr said, citing declining academic performance and diminished reading comprehension skills.
He also said he wants to ensure the E-Rate program produces positive outcomes.
“We will do so through a smart review of the FCC’s E-Rate program,” Carr said in the release. “While parents have the ability to supervise screen use and monitor internet access at home, that parental control does not extend the same way into their kids’ classrooms and libraries.”
What is the E-Rate program?
E-Rate is a multi-billion-dollar program run by the FCC. The program extends discounted internet access and communications services. Through the program, the discounts are extended to eligible schools, libraries, and other educational institutions.
Carr spoke to the history of the program in his June 3 comments.
“For its part, the FCC has been subsidizing connectivity to and within schools for almost 30 years now—spending roughly $3 billion annually at this point,” he said. ”
“A smart review”
Carr described his proposed review as “a smart review” of the program.
He says the FCC isn’t alone with their concerns.
“We are now seeing a movement to address excessive screen time in schools, with some school districts removing devices and reducing screen time, particularly for younger children,” Carr said.
The review, if approved, would be part of a larger effort to provide more oversight to E-Rate.
Carr’s office said the chairman has been conducting a “top-to-bottom evaluation” of the program.
As a result, E-Rate funding for off-campus Wi-Fi hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi has previously been cut under Carr’s leadership.
