Patricia F. Lewis

Proposed Universal Service Rules Will Benefit Children

In its recommendations, released in November, the Joint Board proposed that discounts be made available on all telecommunications services (including wireless), Internet access, and internal connections (again, wired or wireless). The recommendation to include all telecommunications services is based on the belief that schools are in the best position to decide which telecommunications services best suit their needs. The recommendation to include Internet access and internal connection was based on the belief that to not do so would be to ignore the legislative intent of the Act itself. It is important to note that this is a program tailored to meet not only the technological needs of schools, but also their ability to pay. For example, while the most disadvantaged schools - which account for only about sixteen percent of the Nation's schools - will receive ninety percent discounts. The most financially well-off schools will receive discounts of between 20 and 40 percent.

The impetus behind the new universal service program for schools is two fold. First, the Clinton administration has made increasing the level of all students' "technology literacy." Technology literacy is an important goal because the number of jobs requiring computer skills is growing. In 1984 about one quarter of jobs required computer skills; in 1993, that figure had nearly doubled. Additionally, these jobs pay a higher wage. Fewer than a quarter of workers with a family income of less than $15,000 used computers on the job. Conversely, more than sixty percent of workers making more than $50,000 per year used them on the job.

Second, both the Clinton administration and Congress have expressed concern over the inequities of computer access in our schools. According to the U.S. Department of Education, approximately 50% of schools had Internet access in 1996. While this figure is a significant increase from the previous year's 35 percent, the breakdown of this number by the socioeconomic status (SES) of the students describes a less optimistic picture. In contrast to the wealthiest schools, 62 percent of which are connected to the Internet, only 31 percent of the poorest schools are connected.

Additionally, with respect to actual classroom access, overall, 7 percent of all the schools with an Internet connection have no access in any instructional room, 47 percent have access in one room, 24 percent have two to three rooms, 4 percent report access in four rooms, and 19 percent have access in five or more instructional rooms. This means that even in schools with access, less than half of those students have access in more than one room. These inequities become even more significant in light of a study released this past October by the Center for Applied Special Technology, The Role of Online Communications in Schools: A National Study which found that access to computers, especially access to online resources, can improve learning.

Opponents of this measure state that schools should not receive money earmarked for a particular purpose - especially one that is seen by many as an "extra" - when there are so many other problems to be solved. Yes, there are major structural problems in our schools that need to be fixed. Yes, there are social problems in the schools that seemingly can't be fixed. Yes, there are a myriad of other things that need to be done. Those other problems must not be ignored. But, just because a schools is not perfect does not mean it's students cannot benefit from technology in the classroom. Again, the CAST Study indicates that students with online access produce better research projects than those without online access.

Another argument against providing services to schools at a discount is that the funding can only be spent on service. Funds are not available under this plan to pay for computers or training for teachers on how to integrate technology into the curriculum. However, if the services are not affordable there is no reason for schools to even try to find the funding for these other elements.

Will the universal service provisions solve all the problems in the Nation's schools? No. But they will increase the level of classroom-level access and help decrease the inequities in access that exist today. This an important goal and it is what the Act was intended to do.

Related Web Sites