The Big News On June 25, 2026, the FCC voted to open a formal comment period on the future of the E-Rate program — the federal fund that helps schools and libraries pay for internet and telecom services. The agency issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), kicking off a public conversation about how the 30-year-old
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has released the Draft Funding Year (FY) 2027 Eligible Services List (ESL) for the E-Rate program. At this stage, no changes have been adopted. Instead, the FCC is seeking public input on several policy questions that could shape future E-Rate eligibility and procurement requirements. What Applicants Should Know For Funding Year 2027, the draft ESL does not propose changes
For nearly three decades, the E-Rate program has delivered on the universal service goals Congress set out, giving schools and libraries access to affordable, high-speed broadband. Across that span, the program has kept pace with evolving technology while holding firm on fiscal discipline and accountability. The real question facing the Commission isn’t whether E-Rate works—that much is settled. The program’s track record speaks for
