80 Groups Oppose FCC E-Rate Bidding Portal

April 24, 2026 – Eighty education, library, and broadband groups urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a proposed E-Rate bidding portal, warning in a filing Thursday that it would add complexity and deter participation in the $2.5 billion-per-year program.

The proposal would overhaul how schools and libraries request broadband funding, replacing the current competitive bidding process with a centralized portal overseen by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Federal regulators are set to vote later this month on the change.

Groups, including the National Education Association, said the change risks undermining a program widely viewed as effective for connecting schools and libraries.

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