Arizona Commissioners Move on Rulemaking to Fund Broadband in Rural Schools
Seeking faster internet for schools, Arizona Corporation Commissioners voted 5-0 to launch a rulemaking to create a state match of rural broadband funds with funding from the state USF. Commissioner Andy Tobin proposed the fund earlier this week after Gov.…
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Doug Ducey (R) called for more high-speed internet (see 1701100032). Tobin said he wanted to act quickly so the state could apply for federal E-rate Category One funding. At a commission meeting Wednesday, Tobin said 37 percent of Arizona school districts lack broadband of at least 100 kbps per student, and 60 percent of them are in rural and tribal areas. Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Diane Douglas testified in support of the plan, saying it’s another step to narrow the gap between students in rural and urban areas. “We've seen the power of technology and what it can do for education,” she said. The Arizona commission plans a Jan. 30 stakeholder workshop on the proposed broadband fund, then may consider a proposal at commissioners’ Feb. 7 meeting, Tobin said in an interview: “We are working very closely with the governor’s office and the Department of Education.”