A Preliminary Analysis from the Integrated Studies of Educational Technology U.S. Department of Education and Urban Institute (2000)
Disparities Disappeared
Historical disparities between poor and rich, rural, urban and suburban schools have disappeared. Regardless of grade level, wealth, and location, all schools are equally likely to have access to the Internet. E-Rate funding heavily supported schools where more than 50% of the students are eligible for free or reduced price lunches. They comprise 25% of the public school student population and received 60% of the funds. More than 78,000 public schools (82%) received about 84% of the E-Rate dollars. Approximately 5,000 private schools received support.
Poorest Schools Not Applying
Despite outreach and opportunity, the poorest schools did not apply. Perhaps they could not afford the last 10% required to match the 90% discount rate. Over 80% of schools with 75% poor children applied for the E-Rate, but application rates decline by 10 percentage points for those schools with even higher poverty rates. Application rates among the poorest schools increased from 71% to 79% from Year 1 to Year 2.
Spending E-Rate Funds
58% of the E-Rate funds in Years 1 and 2 were used for internal connections. 34% of the E-Rate funds in Years 1 and 2 were used for telecommunication services. 8% of the E-Rate funds in Years 1 and 2 were used for Internet access. 63% of public schools use dedicated line connections (which includes some 56K speed lines).
Source: www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/ed_reform.html
