Education Advocates Petition for Off-Campus E-rate, Citing Pandemic

Education advocates seek an FCC expedited declaratory ruling to temporarily let E-rate funds be used for remote learning. The pandemic "exacerbated the digital divide and made longstanding calls for the commission to allow E-rate support for off-campus broadband a matter of great urgency," said the petition, led by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, Tuesday in docket 13-184. President Joe Biden's executive order encourages the FCC to "increase connectivity options for students lacking reliable home broadband."