FCC Opens Review of School Internet Subsidy Program to Address Screen Time

The Federal Communications Commission announced a full review of the E-Rate program in late June 2026. The notice of proposed rulemaking states the review aims to better protect children on E-Rate-funded networks, including measures to limit screen time. The program, created by Congress in 1996 under the Telecommunications Act, provides discounts on internet access for schools and libraries.

At that time 14 percent of U.S. Nearly 100 percent now have connections, Npr reported. Educators in rural and remote districts said the subsidies remain essential.

Patrick Mayer, superintendent of Alaska Gateway School District, which serves just under 400 students across six schools, said the district spends more than $500,000 per year on internet service from its single provider. David Thurston, who oversees technology for 33 districts in California's San Bernardino County, noted monthly bills of tens of thousands of dollars after discounts.

The FCC review includes a 60-day public comment period followed by a 30-day reply period.

Bob Bocher, a senior fellow with the American Library Association who worked on the original law, said the agency could add rules that make participation more difficult without eliminating the program outright. He described the risk as death by a thousand rules and regulations.

Josh Grolin, executive director at Fairplay, said in a statement that screen-time limits can be achieved through stronger school policies without removing E-Rate funding.

Since January 2026, Alabama, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia have passed laws reevaluating technology in classrooms, and more than 10 additional states are considering similar measures. The Los Angeles Unified School District also approved a screen-time policy. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which finances the discounts, in 2025.