October Anchor Bytes: Wi-Fi on School Buses and More! ??

Dear Reader,?

October was a blast for SHLB! We hosted our 11th annual AnchorNets conference in Crystal City, VA, where we learned from?diverse speakers about making broadband accessible and affordable throughout the US.

We also enjoyed reconnecting with old friends like Mala Muralidharan, who has attended every SHLB Conference, and meeting new ones who share our passion for bridging the digital divide one anchor institution at a time. ?

SHLB celebrates Wi-Fi on school buses! We are thrilled by the FCC’s ruling?clarifying that?Wi-Fi on school buses?is?eligible for E-Rate funding.?This is a huge win for students, especially those in rural areas, who can now learn and connect on the go. You can read our press release here , with insights from schools in NM and VA. ?

We also had a productive meeting with the FCC’s Legal Advisors, where we discussed the draft bus ruling and the hotspot lending program within the Learn Without Limits proposal. We provided feedback on?questions about?implementing Wi-Fi on school buses?effectively and?proposed others to ensure?hotspot lending eligibility is inclusive. ?

Additionally, we filed Reply Comments in the FCC’s proceeding to?streamline?the E-rate program?and were glad to see others supporting our initial comments. We look forward to continuing conversations with the FCC about program?changes to help applicants participate in E-rate, including Tribal, small, and?rural anchor institutions. ?

The work never stops. SHLB continues to advocate for strengthening cybersecurity in schools, improving utility pole attachment policies?in rural areas, and facilitating communication with the NTIA on the impact of BEAD's Letter of Credit requirement on internet service providers.

Thank you for staying engaged with us.

Best Regards,

The SHLB Team

Thank you for making AnchorNets 2023 unforgettable!

AnchorNets 2023 was a tremendous success, and we want to express our heartfelt thanks to all of you for making it truly special. Your enthusiasm and support were the driving force behind this unforgettable event.

With over 100 speakers from diverse sectors, AnchorNets 2023 overflowed with valuable insights?and best practices on bridging the digital divide, one anchor institution at a time. ?

AnchorNets 2024 is set to take place at the same location, Crystal Gateway Marriott,?from Oct 2-4.?Stay tuned for updates and announcements in the coming months.

Thank you for being an integral part of the AnchorNets community. See you next year!

Click to Find the Presentation Slides and Conference Photos.

Policy Bytes Highlight

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this game-changing development! Does your school already have bus Wi-Fi? If not, would you consider using E-rate to make it happen? Press play and leave your thoughts in the video's comment section.

AnchorNets 2023?Recap

Watch this one-minute video of the amazing moments we shared at AnchorNets 2023.?It's a glimpse into the vibrant community that came together to advance broadband accessibility. See you at AnchorNets 2024!

Join us for the upcoming November 15 webinar @ 1 p.m.

In this webinar, you will hear from experts who made Wi-Fi on school buses happen. You will hear from Jeffrey Bonds Lopez , Senior Policy Advisor from Senator Luján’s office, who will explain why this policy change matters. ?

You will also learn from Ben Weintraub , Kajeet 's CEO, and Billy Huish, Supervisor at Farmington Municipal Schools, how the Farmington School District and Kajeet teamed up to offer this service to schoolchildren in New Mexico. ?

Plus,?we will explore key questions for schools seeking E-rate funding in the next year. Register for the Webinar.

Member News

1. Maine's All-In Approach: Join The Marconi Society?for a special webinar on November 7 to explore Maine's unique strategies for sustainable funding, partnerships, and community engagement in connecting the state. With an expert panel, they'll discuss how Maine is reaching 89% of its population, including seniors, veterans, and low-income households. Register here .
2. Surge Link? in Syracuse: The City of Syracuse , Community Broadband Network (CBN), and US Ignite have launched Surge Link?, a program to connect 2,500 underserved families in Syracuse to high-speed, affordable broadband using federal funds. Learn more about this exciting initiative here .
3. Digital Inclusion in Guilford County Schools: US Ignite is partnering with Guilford County Schools (GCS) and the Technology and Data Institute (TDI) to provide free broadband and educational resources to students in High Point, NC. Lumos will deliver high-speed broadband for the pilot through June 2026.?
4. SETDA's Cybersecurity Resource: SETDA ’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Collaborative published?Small Districts, Big Hurdles: Cybersecurity Support for Small, Rural, and Under-resourced Districts, a?resource?that shares how state agencies and other organizations are giving their smallest districts a leg up in?improving their cybersecurity readiness.?Download it here .
5. Next Century Cities Welcomes New Executive Director: SHLB member Next Century Cities has appointed a new Executive Director, Andy Stutzman , to lead their mission of expanding broadband access and increasing community adoption. Andy recently shared his vision and priorities for the organization in a "Meet the Executive Director" session. His background in higher ed IT, digital equity, and workforce development positions him to drive meaningful change. Meet Andy here .
6. CoSN's AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit: The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has co-authored an AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit to advance responsible AI use in education. This resource is a significant step forward in ensuring responsible and effective AI implementation in educational settings. Explore the toolkit . They are also hosting their annual conference on April 8-10, 2024.

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