FCC Ponders ‘Large Scale Changes’ to School and Library Broadband Subsidy
Wireline chief discusses updating the program which supports internet access for nearly all U.S. public schools
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is questioning whether “large scale changes” are necessary to E-Rate, the roughly $2.5 billion federal subsidy that supports internet access for schools and libraries.
“Responsible governance sometimes means asking whether a program continues to serve its purpose, is still consistent with the statutory goal provided by Congress, and whether there is a need for large scale changes,” Joseph Calascione, chief of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau wrote in a post Wednesday.
