Ready-to-go Template for Supporting Wi-Fi & Hot Spots in E-Rate

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January 18, 2024

Do you want to keep the students in your district connected? This call to action is about Wi-Fi and hotspots for home connectivity, and we’ve set up this blog post to be your one-stop shop to getting your comments filed. All you need to do is save the template below to your computer, customize the template using the provided prompts, re-save the template, and then file your comments. COMMENTS MUST BE FILED BY JANUARY 29, 2024.

Information that is helpful to collect BEFORE you use this template:

  • Describe your district and students (including number of students, # of students who are free/reduced lunch, and E-Rate discount percentage)
  • Estimate of how many of your students and teachers lacked home connectivity prior to the pandemic
  • Estimate of how many of your students and teachers CURRENTLY lack home connectivity
  • If you participated in the ECF program: How many Wi-Fi hotspots were purchased and Were Internet access services purchased in conjunction with the hotspots.
  • How many of your students/teachers lost (will lose) internet access when ECF sunsets?
FILING YOUR COMMENTS
1. DRAFTING YOUR COMMENTS

a. Download our template/save the file to your computer.

b. Using the information you gathered based on the prompts above, personalize the template response anywhere you see a red italicized prompt. The prompts are suggestions; you can include more or different information as you see fit, anything that you think helps make the case for expanding E-Rate to include Wi-Fi/hotspots.

c. Make sure to save your edited letter template, and that your name and contact information is correct.


2. SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENTS

a. Please note: we prefer for you to file your own comments. Should you be strapped for time AASA staff can file for you, but we need to receive your final comment no later than 5 pm ET on January 28. Send any comment you wish to be filed to Noelle Ellerson Ng (nellerson@aasa.org) and make sure your email includes your name and address as it should appear on the filing as well as the subject line FILE FCC COMMENT PLEASE. Thank you, 

b. Your comments can be filed on the FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).

i. This link takes you to the exact page for submitting your comment. LINK: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/standard 

c. Working down the page, here is the information you need to enter before you can upload your file: The text you enter is in italics.

i. Proceedings: 21-31
1. This will generate a flyout that includes the text ‘Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program). Select that one. The text in the box will read as ’21-31’.
ii. Name of Filer: Insert your name
iii. Law Firm: leave blank
iv. Attorney/Author/Submitter: leave blank
v. Primary Contact Email: Leave blank 
vi. Type Of Filing: Click on the arrow and select ‘Reply to Comments’, the third option from the top. 
vii. File Number: leave blank
viii. Report Number: leave blank
ix. Bureau ID Number: leave blank
x. Address of: Select filer
xi. Address: Insert your address
xii. Address 2: Insert your address (if more space needed)
xiii. City: Insert city name
xiv. State: Select State
xv. Zip Code: List your Zip Code

d. Uploading Your Comments: Just below the various fields where you entered your information, there will be a box you can click on or drag your file to. Make sure to load your revised template letter appropriately, and in an approved format (preferably Word or PDF).

e. Check the Yellow Box affirming that you know you are filing a comment with the FCC proceeding.

f. Click on the BLUE Continue to Review Screen 

g. This takes you to a review page. Review the information for accuracy, click the ‘I’m not a robot box’ at the bottom’ and then you can file your comments. 

h. Thank you for filing!

 

AASA has covered extensively the FCC’s ongoing efforts to update the E-Rate program with its three-pronged Learn without Limits proposal. The FCC voted in October to allow E-Rate dollars to be used for Wi-Fi on buses, and currently has two notices of proposed rulemakings out in the field (one to allow E-Rate to be used for Wi-Fi/hotspots for home connectivity, and one to use USF dollars to seed a 3-year, $200 million pilot for cyber security in K12). AASA supports all three proposals.

Author

Noelle Ellerson-Ng
Noelle Ellerson Ng

Associate Executive Director, Advocacy & Governance, AASA, The School Superintendents Association

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