Today, the FCC voted 3-2 to approve an expansion to the Lifeline program, which I wrote about earlier. This expansion means the government will pay a $9.25 subsidy for broadband access via Lifeline which already includes a telephone line. But what does this mean for education? What do we do next? One thing this means for education is we have taken a step toward digital equity. No, this one step won't solve the entire issue but it will be a helpful solution for many families. It will provide online access to many who cannot afford it. And as Commissioner Clyburn said, many don't think twice about paying $9 for a combo meal at the airport but for some families, it can make all the difference i
The FCC and education have an interesting history together. Let's start with net neutrality. Back in February of 2015, the FCC voted on the controversial topic of net neutrality. Net neutrality means that no matter what service provider you use, the Internet looks the same - it is neutral. Abolishing net neutrality meant that Internet service providers like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. would be allowed to have tiered, differential pricing. Internet packages would be similar to cable television packages; the premium sites and channels would come at a higher subscription price. Voting on net neutrality became a heated political debate and yet, not many educators were discussing it. Net neutrali
