Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa may need to reconsider a new school bus Wi-Fi program that relies on federal E-Rate discounts amid recent congressional resolutions and a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
It is a conundrum facing hundreds of school districts across the U.S. that rely on the funding to help their students with internet connectivity issues so they can finish their homework.
Phil Roeder, the school district’s director of communications and public affairs, said E-Rate is crucial to the success of the “DPMS On the Go” service that launched earlier this school year. In January, the district announced Wi-Fi hotspots on 126 school buses and additional mobile units on passenger vans.
E-Rate covered 90 percent of the approximate $600,000 cost for the equipment, installation, wireless data service and “other,” which the Universal Service Administrative Company that manages E-Rate defines as hardware licensing. With an estimated cost of $500,000 in subsequent years for maintenance and new systems, Roeder explained that DPMS may need to reconsider the investment.
“If these funds are removed, the district will need to consider alternatives at a time when there is already a lot of uncertainty related to education funding,” he commented in an email. “At best, we may have to consider maintaining limited connectivity in a more targeted fashion, such as our IT and transportation departments identifying routes that have the greatest need and usage in order to focus resources. At worse, of course, school bus Wi-Fi could come to an end.”
Nationwide, over $63.6 million in E-Rate discounts have funded over 2,900 school bus Wi-Fi applications across 36 states and Puerto Rico. School districts may receive numerous discounts for each school bus they are equipping based on the hardware, installation and data costs. Des Moines is one of a dozen districts in Iowa that received E-Rate discounts for this school year.
Earlier this year, Samantha Sonnichsen, director of transportation for DPMS, noted many students spend hours riding to and from class on school buses. “Now, students will have the opportunity to access Wi-Fi and complete homework for the next day,” she added.
But for how much longer? At least through next school year, as a recent Senate resolution and a companion House resolution only target external hotspot connectivity devices that some students take home with them so they and their families can access Broadband internet. But school bus Wi-Fi is expected to be targeted during the next congressional session.
The primary goal of the Des Moines program is expanding internet access for students without reliable home connectivity, either because they live in underserved rural areas or their families can’t afford it. The benefits of Wi-Fi extend beyond academics. While not eligible for E-Rate funding, Des Moines is also using Wi-Fi for like real-time GPS, live camera access for emergency monitoring and driver tools to reroute buses quickly during traffic delays or severe weather. These features create a more secure and connected commute for both students and drivers, the district said in a statement.
“We live in a time where Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” Matt Smith, associate superintendent of school support services for DMPS, said in January. “By equipping our buses, we’re ensuring that students, especially those without home internet, can keep up with their studies.”
The program was developed with support from the district’s IT team and Kajeet, a leading provider of filtered educational Wi-Fi. Students are limited to safe, education-only browsing and access is tied to their student login credentials, syncing activity with the school network to prevent misuse.
However, a looming legal challenge could upend the program’s future faster than the legislative ones. A case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court questions the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF) that finances the E-Rate program. Critics, including several federal lawmakers, argue the FCC has overstepped its original charter by using the USF to subsidize off-campus internet infrastructure like school bus Wi-Fi.
As noted in a recent STN podcast episode featuring AASA’s Noelle Ellerson Ng, this case could have ripple effects nationwide, especially for districts like Des Moines that are already relying on E-Rate to support long-term implementation.
“This is about more than hardware on buses,” Ellerson Ng said during the podcast. “It’s about whether digital equity continues to be prioritized at the federal level—because without E-Rate, many of these programs become unsustainable.”
Related: Benefits of School Bus Wi-Fi Discussed at STN EXPO
Related: FCC Approves Funding of School Wi-Fi in E-Rate Program
Related: Directors Discuss Navigating Wi-Fi Purchases, E-Rate Funding at STN EXPO Indy
