Erate digital divide survey

Applications for federal E-rate money show broad gaps between wealthy and poor school systems' access to high-quality technologies, and varying abilities among districts to purchase connectivity at affordable rates, a new analysis reveals. By the measures of the survey, the country's schools—particularly its most impoverished ones—have a long way to go. One of the biggest takeaways from the analysis is that schools with higher levels of technology buy at cheaper prices and spend more money on Internet services.
Education Superhighway. (2014). Connecting America's students: Opportunities for action. 
http://www.educationsuperhighway.org/uploads/1/0/9/4/10946543/esh_k12_e-rate_spending_report_april_2014.pdf

Erate program survey

The FCC is in the process of reforming the E-rate program, which helps schools and libraries pay for Internet access, and this survey is intended to give administrators and school technology leaders a voice in the E-rate reforms. "The data serves to inform debate over the direction of the program and involve those who haven’t had an opportunity for their voices to be heard," according to Funds for Learning. Key findings from the survey include:

• 92 percent of respondents said the E-rate program is critical to their success;
• 58 percent expect their budget for telecommunications and Internet access to increase over the next five years;
• 43 percent said their technology infrastructure is lagging;
• 51 percent said their telephone infrastructure is lagging; and
• 48 percent feel that their Internet access is not adequate for their current needs.
• The most popular E-rate changes are raising the funding cap, multi-year funding commitments and simplified application paperwork.

Funds for Learning. (2014). E-rate 2.0.

http://www.fundsforlearning.com/blog/2014/06/2014-applicant-survey-results