National School Boards Association Press Release
May 7, 1998
Source: NBSA.

Public and Private Schools Groups Launch High-tech
"Save the E-Rate Campaign"

Mass Mobilization to tell Congress, FCC and Telecommunications Companies
"Don’t Pull the Plug on Our Children’s Future"

Washington, DC – May 7 – Six national education organizations have joined in a nationwide campaign to protect the universal service discount program, known as the E-Rate. The campaign will mobilize thousands of parents, school board members, teachers, administrators and concerned citizens to ensure that this historic program is not undermined by recent attacks that threaten both funding and promised services.

The E-Rate program is designed to help provide affordable Internet access, distance-learning and other educational opportunities to children and library users across the country. As part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, K-12 schools and public libraries can now purchase telecommunications at 20-90% discounts. So far, more than 30,000 schools, libraries, and consortia have applied.

"We’re fighting to make sure that promised resources are there so that none of the pending applications is denied due to threatened cuts and no child or community is left behind," said Msgr. Thomas J. McDade, Secretary for Education for the U.S. Catholic Conference.

In addition, the coalition has placed an ad in Roll Call, the bi-weekly newspaper of Capitol Hill, charging that "Certain telecommunications companies – AT&T, MCI and Sprint – are undermining the program, by unnecessarily blaming the "E-Rate for higher costs. Others – SBC, BellSouth and GTE – have filed a lawsuit that could gut the "E-Rate" program."

"We are deeply concerned about actions by MCI, AT&T, Sprint, SBC, BellSouth, and GTE that are undermining the program," said Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director of the National School Boards Association. "These companies are getting substantial cost savings that the public needs to know about and they stand to open a multi-billion dollar market by winning contracts with schools and libraries."

Paul D. Houston, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators said: "The Save the E-Rate Campaign is using the power of technology and the Internet to protect the E-Rate and make sure that every school child has access to these vital communications tools in the classroom."

The campaign has e-mailed an alert to over 30,000 schools and libraries as well as to parents, educators, and community members. The message is linked to an E-mail Action Center at http://congress.nw.dc.us/e-rate that helps people send personal messages to their members of Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, and the CEO’s of all 6 telecommunications companies urging them to support the E-rate. In less than 24 hours since the program’s launch on May 6, more than 1,300 messages have been sent.

The FCC promised that $2.25 billion would be there for this program each year if needed and that unused moneys would roll over to the next year. The Schools and Libraries Corporation, the program’s administrator, has projected demand at $2.02 billion for 1998 confirming the real need for the E-Rate.

"The FCC must take whatever regulatory action is necessary to ensure the success of this program," said Bob Chase, President of the National Education Association, "Educators know the importance of using technology in the classroom to prepare our children for the 21^st Century workforce. By the year 2000, 60% of jobs will require high-tech computer skills."

"Congress was on the right track when it established this program," said Peter D. Relic, President of the National Association of Independent Schools. "Clearly, the great numbers of applications show the popularity of the E-Rate around the country. It’s time for Congress to make sure it’s bold vision is fully implemented."

A copy of the Roll Call ad and the e-mail alert are available by calling Renée Williams at 703-838-6717 or by e-mail: rwilliams@nsba.org.