FCC launches review of $3B school internet program over screen time concerns
(Photo by Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Wednesday that it is launching a comprehensive review of the E-Rate program, the federal initiative that helps schools and libraries pay for internet connectivity. The move comes amid growing concerns that increased screen use in classrooms may be contributing to worsening academic performance.
The E-Rate program provides approximately $3 billion each year in discounts for internet access and related connectivity services at eligible schools and libraries nationwide.
FCC approves Skydance's $8 billion merger with Paramount
The FCC announced it has approved the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, putting an end to the yearlong high-stakes saga. The Washington Post's Jeremy Barr joins LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss.
What they're saying:
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the review is warranted as student screen time has expanded significantly in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking with Fox News Digital, Carr pointed to emerging research linking excessive technology use in schools to declining educational outcomes, including findings highlighted in a recent advisory from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
RELATED: Trump administration seeks federal grant oversight
"We're now starting to see research pour in that is associating excessive screen time in schools and for students with exceptionally poor academic outcomes," Carr said. "We're seeing really poor performance across the country on reading, on math skills, on cognitive development."
Why you should care:
Carr also said the review is intended to give parents greater visibility into how technology is being used in classrooms. He argued that while parents often monitor their children's screen use at home, they may have little insight into how devices and internet-connected tools are utilized during the school day.
"I think parents provide a lot of great oversight when kids are using technology and screens inside the home, but that level of parental oversight goes away when your kid is at school," he said. "I think there's many, many parents that do not have insight into what their kids are doing when they're spending hours with screens in schools."
RELATED: These states lead the nation in racial equality in education, study finds
"So that is part of the FCC's proceeding is to look at how do we empower parents and make sure that they know what's happening with these connections that are funded by this federal program," Carr continued.
White House Education Secretary on future of education
White House Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, joined the White House Press briefing to discuss the future of education. McMahon said, "These interagency agreements to cut our own bureaucratic bloat are a key step in our efforts to shift educational authority from Washington, D.C., to your state education agency, your local superintendent, your local school board — entities that are accountable to YOU."
According to Carr, the FCC's goal is to ensure the E-Rate program supports "positive, good educational outcomes, not distractions or poor performance." He said the agency is conducting a "top to bottom review" and is considering a wide range of potential reforms.
Carr said the effort builds on actions already taken by lawmakers and school districts across the country to limit screen time and return to more "classical approaches" to education.
What's next:
Potential changes could include new guardrails for the program, additional transparency requirements, funding adjustments, or other reforms aimed at aligning federally subsidized internet services with what Carr described as the "best science" on educational outcomes.
The FCC is expected to vote on June 25 on whether to formally open the review process and solicit public feedback on possible changes to the program.
Big picture view:
The review comes as concerns over student achievement continue to mount nationwide. According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, math and reading scores among 12th-grade students have fallen to record lows, extending a decline that has persisted for years.
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The information in this story comes primarily from comments made by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in an interview with Fox News Digital regarding the agency's planned review of the E-Rate program. This story was reported from Los Angeles.