[1st-mile-nm] EducationSuperHighway: E-rate delays and denials

[Richard Lowenberg]

As a short follow-up to my prior posting re: EducationSuperHighway's
web site noting E-rate delays and denials, here is their listing of
NM schools.    The details and reasons are not available, so any
clarification from involved subscribers is appreciated.

Nationally, 61 fiber projects have been unfairly denied.
New Mexico:
•	Bernalillo Public Schools
•	Central Consolidated School District 22
•	Farmington Municipal School District 5

Nationally, 38 fiber projects are still waiting on decisions from last 
year.
New Mexico:
•	Dulce School District
•	Socorro Consolidated School District

RL


On 2018-03-08 11:00, Richard Lowenberg wrote:

> http://delaysanddenials.org
> 
> A federal program intended to help school districts attain better
> access to the internet is under fire. Advocates for connectivity say
> the Federal Communications Commission is leaving many rural districts
> in limbo with long delays and denials. Most of the concerns surround
> applications for federal aid to connect rural schools to fiber optic
> networks through the E-rate program. “Red tape and bureaucracy… are
> causing huge delays in getting their projects reviewed,” said Evan
> Marwell, CEO of EducationSuperHighway, a nonprofit that has long
> advocated for school connectivity. The group estimates it takes an
> average of nine months to get a decision on a fiber project. He said
> that the contractor in charge of reviewing applications and FCC
> administrators “are so concerned, so focused on waste, fraud and
> abuse, and making sure a dollar doesn’t get spent the wrong way, that
> they are losing sight of the real goal, which is to get kids
> connected. They’re making it really hard.” EducationSuperHighway
> launched a website to track delays and denials, hoping to put pressure
> on the FCC. According to the site, 38 fiber optics projects in 17
> states have been awaiting decisions since last year. In addition, the
> group says 61 projects in 28 states have been “unfairly denied.”
> (snip)
> 
> A number of NM school districts are among the delayed and denied,
> noted on the web site.
> 
> See also: 
> https://morningconsult.com/opinions/closing-school-broadband-gap
> 

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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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