SHLB Coalition Responds to FCC's Planned Review of the E-Rate Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 3, 2026)—The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition today responded to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr's announcement of a proceeding to review the agency’s E-Rate program, which the FCC is scheduled to consider at its June 25, 2026 Open Meeting. For nearly 30 years, E-Rate has provided discounted broadband and connectivity to schools and libraries across the country, and SHLB has long advocated for the program's strength, stability, and modernization.

"E-Rate has been, and continues to be, a critical funding source for schools and libraries and for the rural and urban communities they serve. At its core, E-Rate ensures that every student, whether from a wealthy or an underserved community, has the opportunity to learn and flourish at school and beyond. It also provides the high-speed connectivity that keeps core school and library operations running, including security systems, student transportation, HVAC controls, and student information systems. For the tens of thousands of schools and libraries that depend on the fund, E-Rate funding must remain strong and predictable," said Joseph Wender, Executive Director of the SHLB Coalition and Noelle Ellerson Ng, Chief Advocacy & Governance Officer, AASA, The School Superintendents Association. "SHLB and AASA look forward to demonstrating that E-Rate remains essential and to advocating for its modernization and improvement."

Wender and Ellerson Ng continued: "As part of this review, we should be careful not to conflate intentional, educational technology use with unsupervised personal phone use, and we should recognize that 'screen time' is not a single, narrow concept. We look forward to working with the Commission to find ways to better protect our nation's children while improving a program with thirty years of bipartisan success."

SHLB will review the Notice in full and intends to participate in the proceedings on behalf of its members and the anchor institutions they serve.

Media Availability
Joey Wender is available for interviews. For more information, visit www.shlb.org or follow @SHLBcoalition on LinkedIn, Facebook, or X.

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About SHLB: The SHLB Coalition is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) advocacy organization that supports open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections for anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. The SHLB Coalition is based in Washington, D.C., and has a diverse membership of commercial and non-commercial organizations across the United States. To learn more, visit www.shlb.org.