CONTACT
Julia Fallon
Executive Director
SETDA
202-715-6636 x700
[email protected]

 

STATEMENT OF THE EDUCATION & LIBRARIES NETWORKS COALITION ON FCC ANNOUNCEMENT OF EMERGENCY CONNECTIVITY FUND DEMAND AND SECOND APPLICATION WINDOW

 

August 26, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) – Today’s announcement by the FCC of the extremely high demand for funding to ensure that students, educators, and library patrons are connected in their homes is proof positive of the significant need for the $7.17 billion which Congress approved for the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) – and compelling evidence that more support is needed. Even with this initial 45-day ECF application window open during the height of summer, when schools were in recess, and many Americans were on vacation, schools and libraries still applied for $5.1 billion or more than 70% of ECF funds available. 

We fully expect the remaining $2 billion in ECF support to be spoken for during the forthcoming second application window. Therefore, we feel it is imperative that Congress include Senator Markey’s and Representative Meng’s SUCCESS Act within the Budget Reconciliation Act to replenish ECF funding and ensure that America’s students, educators, and library patrons are not disconnected when this first tranche of ECF funding runs dry.

EdLiNC’s Members:

• AASA, The School Superintendents Association
• American Federation of School Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American Library Association
• Association of Educational Service Agencies
• Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents
• Association of School Business Officials International
• Council of Chief State School Officers
• International Society for Technology in Education
• National Association of Elementary School Principals
• National Association for Pupil Transportation
• National Association of Secondary School Principals
• National Association of State Boards of Education
• National Catholic Educational Association
• National Education Association
• National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium
• National Rural Education Association
• National School Boards Association
• State Educational Technology Directors Association

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About SETDA
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching, and school operations.

For more information, please visit our website https://www.setda.org or Twitter @setda.