Opinion
Ed-Tech Policy Letter to the Editor

Provider’s Reach Misrepresented

November 29, 2016 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the article “Ed. Groups Calling For FCC Action” (Oct. 26, 2016).

The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, which your Oct. 26 article referenced as having made a limited contribution to educational media, is the second-largest Educational Broadband Service provider in the United States, with 52 licensed markets, including 24 in rural areas. We make extensive use of our EBS spectrum through Mobile Beacon, which provides tens of thousands of unlimited, 4G LTE internet connections to schools, libraries, and educational nonprofits across the nation.

Our broadband service supports education for at-risk populations at every level, including students from low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities. As the article mentions, this year alone Mobile Beacon has donated more than $1 million worth of 4G LTE modems. Not mentioned was the fact that these modems expand broadband access and educational services to more than 4,000 schools and educational organizations.

We agree with the article on an important point: Available spectrum that is not used when schools are in need of additional broadband connectivity needs to be addressed. We are an active advocate for increasing the use of the EBS in the United States; however, many licensees already make significant contributions to America’s educational fabric, and those should not be ignored.

Katherine Messier

Director

North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation

Johnston, R.I.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reimagining Grading in K-12 Schools: A Conversation on the Value of Standards-Based Grading
Hear from K-12 educational leaders and explore standards-based grading benefits and implementation strategies and challenges
Content provided by Otus
Reading & Literacy Webinar How Background Knowledge Fits Into the ‘Science of Reading’ 
Join our webinar to learn research-backed strategies for enhancing reading comprehension and building cultural responsiveness in the classroom.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Innovative Strategies for Data & Assessments
Join our webinar to learn strategies for actionable instruction using assessment & analysis.
Content provided by Edulastic

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Ed-Tech Policy TikTok Is Raising National Security, Privacy Concerns. Should Educators Steer Clear?
The social media video app is raising national security concerns that could ultimately get the platform banned in the U.S.
7 min read
The icon for TikTok pictured in New York on Feb. 25, 2020.
The icon for TikTok pictured in New York on Feb. 25, 2020.
AP
Ed-Tech Policy Opinion Should Teachers Be Allowed to Use Online Tools to Monitor Student Screens?
For some teachers, that's a no-no. Others see the merit in watching their students work in real time.
12 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy 'Cybersecurity Is Huge.' Educators Make the Case for More Federal Funding
Major education organizations have told the FCC that they want to use E-rate dollars for advanced internet security firewalls.
3 min read
Image of a security symbol on a laptop.
filo/DigitalVision Vectors
Ed-Tech Policy There Are Hundreds of New Bills Targeting Cyberattacks in Schools. Will They Work?
The cybersecurity laws enacted in 2022 include mandatory incident reporting, contingency planning requirements, and workforce expansion.
2 min read
Image of lock on binary code background.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty