E-rate Sparks Low-Cost Connectivity, Better Digital Learning | EdTech Magazine: Focus on Higher Education - Classroom

"Once schools receive E-rate funding, innovating learning can develop" continues EdTech Magazine: Focus on Higher Education. 
 

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E-rate provides schools with the bandwidth they need to take advantage of mobile computing devices and to support digital-learning classrooms with online videos, cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools, and online testing.

Recently, the government attempted to streamline and simplify the application process with a new online application portal, but it remains a challenging process with stringent deadlines and rules. Schools and districts that do everything right get a huge payoff: up to 90 percent off internet services and up to 85 percent off Wi-Fi networks and related equipment.

“It’s the single largest source of educational technology funding in the country, and it enables school districts to stretch their technology budgets,” says Brian Stephens, senior compliance analyst at Funds for Learning, an E-rate consulting firm.

With guides in place to help school leaders apply for funds successfully, E-rate provides many benefits to schools and districts.

More Competition Drives Down 
Internet Costs Overall, bandwidth costs have dropped 78 percent from $22 per Mbps in 2013 to $4.90 per Mbps in 2017, according to the “2017 State of the States” report by EducationSuperHighway.
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Source: EdTech Magazine: Focus on Higher Education