FCC Gets Broad Support for Off-Campus E-rate Petition

Communications Daily quoted comments jointly filed by OTI and EPP asking the FCC to grant greater flexibility in how E-Rate funds are used, allowing schools to spend much-needed resources on supporting remote learning during the pandemic crisis. The comments were responding to an emergency petition that OTI and EPP also jointly filed alongside a coalition of education advocates.

Allow flexibility in how E-rate funds are used to meet the needs of schools and students, said New America, Public Knowledge, Consumer Reports, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and Access Humboldt. "Declare that so long as remote learning connections and services are used primarily for educational purposes, cost allocation is unnecessary during the pandemic emergency and through the end of the 2021 E-Rate fiscal year."