RTE summary ofTrump's support for AI in schools could be undercut by his own administration's screen-time fears, news report, Chalkbeat,
Chalkbeat reports that the Federal Communications Commission is conducting a broad review of E-Rate, the federal program that helps schools pay for internet service. Funded through fees on phone bills, E-Rate spends roughly $3 billion a year and covers between 20 and 90 percent of a school's internet costs. Options under discussion include ending the program, limiting it to rural communities, or requiring schools to adopt screen-time limits or parent opt-out policies to qualify.
Arielle Roth, who leads the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has pushed for closer scrutiny of federal support for classroom technology and has convened listening sessions with parents concerned about screens. District leaders and school advocates told Chalkbeat that major changes could be costly and disruptive, since schools rely on the internet not only for instruction but for security systems, attendance, payroll, and, in remote areas, access to courses that would otherwise be out of reach. The article notes that research on whether internet access improves learning has produced mixed results.
At the time of the article, the FCC was accepting public comment on E-Rate through October 13, 2026.
Why it matters
This review touches nearly every school in the country, and it bundles together two questions that are worth keeping separate: whether schools should have reliable internet, and how screens are used for instruction once they do. Good decisions on the second question depend on evidence about specific products and practices, not on the connection itself.
For more on the federal listening session mentioned in this story, see our summary of NTIA's session on screens in school.
This is RTE's summary. For the complete story, read it where it was originally published.
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