[OPLINLIST] [OPLINupdates] The FCC asks whether to end E-Rate
Christine Morris
christine at oplin.ohio.gov
Wed Jul 15 16:50:31 EDT 2026
Greetings,
I just wanted to remind folks about the webinar tomorrow on the Future of
E-Rate
<https://www.shlb.org/events/the-future-of-e-rate-inside-the-fccs-proposal-and-how-to-make-your-voice-heard>
and
the impact of proposed changes on all recipients. Panelists will include a
speaker from ALA to share what the current FCC proposals mean to libraries.
The registration *is* free to all; there is a suggested donation to the
Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition listed on the
registration page, but that can be changed or removed.
All Ohio libraries receive the benefit of E-Rate through OPLIN filings, so
even if your library does not file for E-Rate for branches or internal
connections, these proposed changes would still be relevant.
Best wishes,
Christine
--
Christine Morris (she/her)
Digital Resources Manager
Ohio Public Library Information Network
christine at oplin.ohio.gov
614-728-5252 (OPLIN Support)
614-728-0227 (direct)
On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 8:23 AM Don Yarman via OPLINupdates <
oplinupdates at lists.oplin.org> wrote:
> We encourage libraries to save the date July 16 and register for SHLB's
> webinar
> <https://www.shlb.org/events/the-future-of-e-rate-inside-the-fccs-proposal-and-how-to-make-your-voice-heard/register>
> about *new threats to the E-Rate program*. See details below.
>
> Don Yarman (he/him/his)
> Director, Ohio Public Library Information Network
> 2323 W Fifth Ave Suite 130, Columbus OH 43204
> don at oplin.ohio.gov | 614.728.5250
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Joey Wender <jwender at shlb.org>
> Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 4:20 PM
> Subject: The FCC is asking whether to end E-Rate. Join us as we respond.
>
>
> Free webinar July 16 + AnchorNets this October
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> <https://us.list-manage.com/B7Eia0MFPFO?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8>
>
>
> Hi Don,
>
>
> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released a draft proposal
> <https://us.list-manage.com/1BZWXitycw3?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8>
> asking whether the E-Rate program should be "limited or sunset." This
> attack poses an existential threat to E-Rate and we're not going to stand
> by while a program that connects more than 100,000 schools and 11,000
> libraries gets quietly unwound. We need you to be a part of how we respond.
>
>
> The first step is our *free webinar on July 16*
> <https://us.list-manage.com/fZX36oiBM68?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8>.
> It's the clearest path to making your voice count in this proceeding, and
> we hope you'll register and join us. You’ll learn:
>
> -
>
> What the proposal actually says
> -
>
> What's at stake
> -
>
> How and when to file a comment with the FCC
>
> Register for Future of E-Rate Webinar
> <https://us.list-manage.com/bwMzr4Qoesf?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8>
>
>
> From there, we hope to see you at *AnchorNets 2026*
> <https://us.list-manage.com/72l0xibTYzJ?e=37b53ba065&c2id=98fae2489b341bd695f6ee85cad530c8>,
> taking place from October 7-9 in Arlington, VA. You'll be in the room with
> the experts tracking every development on E-Rate and with peers navigating
> the same uncertainty you are. The connections and lessons from those
> conversations are hard to find anywhere else.
>
>
> The FCC points to E-Rate's success, noting that nearly every school now
> has high-speed internet, and suggests the job is done. The reality is the
> opposite. That connectivity exists because E-Rate sustains it year after
> year. Bandwidth needs grow, equipment ages, and in many buildings broadband
> now runs everything from online testing to door locks and HVAC. A network
> is a continuing commitment.
>
>
> The deepest harm would fall on the communities that can least afford it,
> since E-Rate's largest discounts go to schools and libraries in
> lower-income areas. Pull that funding, and the digital divide only grows.
> The proposal also asks whether E-Rate support should be limited to rural
> areas, which would draw a line between a disadvantaged child in a rural
> town and a disadvantaged child in a city. Congress never wrote that
> distinction into the law, and there's no reason to invent it now.
>
>
> The good news is that this is a proposal, not a decision. The FCC has to
> take public comments, and every one of our voices carries weight.
>
>
> I encourage you to read SHLB’s full argument in our op-ed for the Benton
> Institute for Broadband and Society
> <https://shlb.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b8f06a885587335ee5c6b1717&id=d84379a328&e=37b53ba065>
> .
>
> Together, we will make our voices heard, and together we will protect
> E-Rate for the schools and libraries that depend on it.
>
> Joey Wender
>
> Executive Director, SHLB Coalition
>
>
> View this email in your browser
> <https://mailchi.mp/shlb/anchornets2025thankyounonmembers-15398656?e=37b53ba065>
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>
> *Copyright (C) 2026 SHLB Coalition. All rights reserved.*
>
> Our mailing address is:
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>
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