Page 168 - Information and American Democracy Technology in the Evolution of Political Power

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Education Policy 18:0
“universal service principles.” These principles called for a set of qual-
ity and affordability standards, expanded access to telecommunications
in rural and high-cost areas, and subsidies for low-income consumers.
Among the universal service provisions was a mandate that “elemen-
tary and secondary schools and classrooms, health care providers, and
libraries should have access to advanced telecommunications services.”
This mandate was the result of efforts of a large number of education
and library organizations, led by the National Education Association
(NEA). It was inserted into the bill as the “SREK amendment,” spon-
soredbySenatorsOlympiaSnow,JohnRockefeller,JamesExon,andJohn
Kerrey. 102
Theamendmentstipulatedthat“alltelecommunicationscarriersserv-
ing a geographic area shall, upon a bona fide request for any of its services
thatarewithinthedefinitionofuniversalservice ... providesuchservices
to elementary schools, secondary schools, and libraries for educational
purposes at rates less than the amounts charged for similar services to
other parties.” The act authorized the Federal Communications Com-
mission(FCC)toadministerthisprovision,includingsettingtheamount
of the SREK discounts. The FCC issued its order implementing the low-
ered rates in May 1997, setting 20 percent to 90 percent discounts on
telecommunications services to schools and libraries, depending on their
financial circumstances. The commission provided for expenditures of
federalfundsupto$2.25billionperyeartosubsidizepartofthediscounts
by private telecommunications service providers. 103 The discounts and
subsidy came to be known as the “E-Rate” program, named for the new
educational rate that firms were directed to provide. Schools and libraries
were invited to apply for discounts and federal subsidies for high-speed
telecommunication lines, internal wiring, and infrastructure.
As an education provision in a telecommunications bill, E-Rate might
seem out of place. It was, however, consistent with the typically oblique
angle of federal education policy. Because the locus of U.S. education
funding and policy making is the states and localities, federal policy
has been for the most part supplemental and focused on the pursuit
of particular national social goals, in particular, equality. Prior to the
1960s, the federal government played little role in education outside of

102
Daniel Bennett and Pam Fielding, The Net Effect: How Cyberadvocacy is Changing the
Political Landscape (Merrifield, Va.: E-Advocates Press, 1997).
103
Federal Communications Commission, “Report and Order in the Matter of Federal-
State Joint Board on Universal Service,” FCC 97–157 CC Docket No. 96-45, May 7,
1997, http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/universal service/fcc97157/97157pdf.html.
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