Cybersecurity for School Districts

In today's digital age, school district networks are vital for education and administrative functions. Yet, they face unique cybersecurity challenges due to limited resources and diverse user populations, making school districts the top target for ransomware in the United States. Here's how we can fortify these networks:

1. Educate Users: Implement cybersecurity training tailored to students, teachers, and staff to combat social engineering threats like phishing scams. School districts are a unique network environment, and districts should take the training mandates of CIPA seriously to create an environment where children can safely develop an increased awareness of online safety.

2. Secure Data: Utilize access controls, encryption, and data loss prevention measures to protect sensitive information such as student records and financial data.

3. Ensure Infrastructure Resilience: Regularly update software, patch vulnerabilities, and implement intrusion detection systems for real-time threat mitigation.

4. Foster Collaboration: Partner with parents, law enforcement, and cybersecurity professionals to enhance threat intelligence sharing and community engagement.

5. Invest in Future-Proof Solutions: Allocate resources for innovative technologies like AI and machine learning to adapt to evolving threats. Conversely, create a thoughtful program for thinking about how AI will be integrated into the classroom, opening up resources that teachers may need while working to restrict others.

By taking proactive measures, educating stakeholders, and investing in cybersecurity, we can defend school district networks and create a safer learning environment for all.

FCC Considers Role of Cybersecurity

Since the initiation of the E-Rate program, schools and libraries in the United States have been able to offset network expenditures to keep critical dollars in the classroom, educating students. As the landscape has changed, so to has the program.

In a recent proposal, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has initiated a pilot program to support cybersecurity for K12 Schools and public libraries. The pilot would take place outside of the confines of the existing E-Rate program so as not to divert resources.

The proposed pilot program is part of the more broad Learn Without Limits initiative being spearheaded by Rosenworcel. The initiative, which also seeks to add funding for bus wifi and wifi hotspots, demonstrates Rosenworcel’s continued commitment to modernization of the E-Rate program as a vehicle for meaningful impact for school districts and libraries across the country. Recognition that the cyber landscape and threat landscape has undergone significant change in the last decade is an important step to providing districts with potential reimbursement funding toward next gen firewalls or cybersecurity solutions.

Full text of the press release can be found here.

E-Rate and Cybersecurity

One of the sad realities facing American public school districts is that they are increasingly the target of cyberattacks and ransomware. With cash-strapped technology budgets, often limited information technology personnel, and a vast pool of young users with differing levels of technology awareness, schools often find themselves dealing with costly and damaging cyberattacks to clean up.

The E-Rate program has long been considered a potential source of support for school district cybersecurity. Recently, the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) led a petition effort that called on the FCC to use E-Rate funds to support school cybersecurity enhancement. The proposal called for next-generation firewalls, endpoint security features, and more comprehensive full-stack cybersecurity solutions to be made a part of the E-Rate process. The proposal also received support from organizations such as the State E-Rate Coordinators’ Alliance.

With schools warehousing the critical and personally identifiable data of millions of minors, these upgrades to the program would provide a great source of support for schools looking to invest in security upgrades.

Emergency Connectivity Fund Application Window Opens

The Emergency Connectivity Fund, a program that will provide much needed relief to school districts and libraries across the country going into the 2021-2022 school year, is set to open an initial 45-day filing window on June 29. The funding, which will help to offset expenses needed to connect all students for remote and hybrid learning, is an important lifeline as schools continue to contend with the Homework Gap and learning loss going into a still uncertain next school year.

The Emergency Connectivity Fund, or ECF, is the latest effort in COVID-19 relief from the federal government, and will be administered through the E-Rate program and Universal Services. The program, which is set to provide reimbursement for purchases such as Chromebooks and hotspots, signals a continued commitment to educational access equity from the federal government.

While the initial filing window will be tight, schools that have previously used the E-Rate program will already be familiar with the process, and a streamlined application process should provide schools and districts with funding commitments early this fall.

While challenges for schools and districts will continue, and the issue of access and connectivity for all students will continue to be a priority, the ECF program is an important expansion of support from the E-Rate program.

EdTech and E-Rate

Since its inception, the E-Rate program has existed on the back-end of the school district experience. The program has funneled critical reimbursement dollars to schools, helping to offset the expense of building out high-speed networks to support student learning, and wiring buildings and classrooms.

However, with the Emergency Connectivity Fund set to launch in the next month, the E-Rate program will be the conduit for funds connecting on a closer level to the central beneficiaries of the program - students. It is for students that the program exists, and now with a one-time only program set to provide reimbursements for students in need to gain access to laptops and hotspots, the program will be significantly expanding its reach and effectiveness.

The success of the initial rollout of the ECF program should provide a great opportunity to assess the efficacy of using federal funds to more fully support remote learning in the future. Even though connected devices and cloud resources continue to drop in price, the ability of school districts to provide devices for student learning will continue to pose a challenge. While wealthier districts may be able to offset this cost by opening up their networks to a BYOD environment, in districts where a smaller percentage of students have existing devices at home, it will be up to the school to provide access.

Schools and lawmakers should be encouraged to think about the ways in which the ECF program supports students in the next school year, and should do so with an eye to the future. Just as the second modernization order of the E-Rate program shifted toward wireless connectivity, perhaps a third modernization could take a more expansive position, bringing items like chromebooks permanently under the banner of E-Rate funding.

Emergency Connectivity Fund Program Launched

On Monday, the FCC voted unanimously to adopt final rules for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, a $7.17 billion program intended to help close the Homework Gap for students in the United States. The program will be an important source of support for the schools and libraries that have taken on significant technology expenditures in the last year to support student learning.

In the FCC announcement, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that, “Between this Emergency Connectivity Fund Program and the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, we are investing more than $10 billion in American students and households. These investments will help more Americans access online education, healthcare, and employment resources. They will help close the Homework Gap for students nationwide and give so many more households the ability to connect, communicate, and more fully participate in modern life.”

While final rules are forthcoming, schools and libraries will be able to receive funding reimbursements for items like Chromebooks and Hotspots.

Full text of the FCC media release can be found at this link.

Emergency Connectivity Fund E-Rate Draft Released

The FCC and Acting Charwoman Jessica Rosenworcel have released a draft of the proposed Emergency Connectivity Funds (ECF) rules and regulations. ECF will be an important step in addressing some of the many expenses that schools have taken on in the last year to support remote student learning.

In the ECF draft, two potential sources of funding in particular stand-out:

• Laptops and tablets may be funded up to $400/student device

• Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and cellular air-cards may be reimbursed, with a Wi-Fi hotspot cap of $250/device.

The initial round of filing is expected to cover expenses incurred between July 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021, with a second window opening should there be remaining funds available.

If the program draft moves forward, there will be an initial 45-day filing window, after which the FCC will be able to determine how much of the ECF funding has been requested. If the initial requests exceed available funds, ECF will prioritize schools and districts based on their discount rate, with preference given to applicants with the highest percentage of students qualifying for the National School Lunch Program.

Final rules for the program are expected to be released by May 10, 2021.

Emergency Broadband Benefit and E-Rate Consultants

The FCC has rolled out the Emergency Broadband Benefit program to participating broadband providers for a testing period. This is intended as a trial and training period for broadband providers before the program launches for consumers.

In the announcement, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that, “For millions of families making the hard choice between paying a utility or internet bill or at risk of digital disconnection, help is on the way.” The program is one of many actions taken in the last year to support the nation’s citizens and children.

While the program is outside of the traditional role of the E-Rate consultant, and the onus will be on the individual customer to seek support, schools and libraries, together with E-Rate consultants, have a responsibility to remain up-to-date on the program and rollout period to better serve as a resource for families in need of support. Navigating broadband contracts can already be confusing, so adding a layer of potential bureaucracy could pose a challenge to many. Through a strong partnership of support, the hope is that more families will become connected soon.

FCC Seeks Comment on COVID-19 E-Rate Funding

The next round of COVID-19 stimulus will include a $7.1 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund aimed at helping schools and libraries address spending incurred in support of remote learning.

The FCC has opened up a round of comments, seeking to address eligibility, filing deadlines, CIPA compliance, and retroactive funding. A major question facing the FCC will be the availability of funding for expenses incurred over the last year.

While there are still many unknowns and decisions to be made, there is also significant cause for optimism. The legislation has called for 100% reimbursement for eligible items covered by the Emergency Connectivity Fund, and Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and even potentially end-user devices could be included and eligible for reimbursement.

Full text of the request for public comment can be found here.

E-Rate Funding in COVID-19 Relief

While the legislation is still making its way through Congress, there is promising support on the horizon for schools from the next round of COVID-19 Relief.

The package includes over $7 billion in E-Rate funding and the Emergency Educational Connections Act from Senators Markey and Cantwell.

Through the legislation, funds would be available to elementary and secondary schools and libraries, including tribal schools, to provide WiFI-hotspots, routers, and internet-enabled devices to students. The legislation, which should provide much needed support to schools and districts that have had to take on significant expenses to support student learning in the last year, is a welcome sign. Long-term, Congress should consider the benefits of building in this relief as a regular part of the program. This inclusion would acknowledge that, even post-COVID, learning does not start and stop at the school-house doors.

FCC Passes Emergency Broadband Benefit

While always an important utility, the last year has demonstrated just how essential reliable broadband is for the nation. For our children this has been especially true, as consistent and reliable high-speed broadband has been the only way to assure continuity of instruction.

The FCC recently created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which will support households struggling to pay for internet service by providing up to $50/month for broadband and up to $100 toward the purchase of a laptop, desktop, or tablet.

Further details about the program can be found at the FCC.

Acting FCC Chair an E-Rate Champion

Acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel is a champion of and advocate for an expanded E-Rate program. In a moment when America’s schools are in need of an Acting Chair who is both in the weeds on the E-Rate program and an advocate for its expansion, Acting Chair Rosenworcel fits the bill perfectly on both counts.

In an interview on the Vergecast, a weekly tech podcast from the Verge, Acting Chair Rosenworcel discussed the critical importance of programs like E-Rate, which plays a role in working to close the Homework Gap and create a more equitable picture when it comes to broadband access.

As Rosenworcel said in a statement, ‘“Kids shouldn’t have to do homework in parking lots because that’s the only place they can get online. We can do better.”

As schools continue to implement innovative hybrid and remote models, this support at the highest levels points to the ways in which we all can continue to work to support access and equity for students, regardless of zip code.

FCC Solicits E-Rate Comment From Schools

It would be an understatement to call the last year for K12 schools in the United States and across the world challenging. From navigating social distancing, to feeding students and families, to procuring Chromebooks during a trade-war shortage, schools have had to show creativity and tenacity to support their students since last March.

It is unsurprising that these challenges have also had a significant impact on our school’s networks and already stretched IT budgets. With remote instruction and hybrid instruction eating up bandwidth and churning through computers and hotspots, schools have had to get creative to meet these needs.

The FCC is aware of this reality.

Currently, the FCC is closing out a round of comment on petitions to allow E-Rate funds to support remote learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic. You can read the full text and offer comment here:

FCC Emergency E-Rate Fund Comments

Let your voice be heard!