How well did ECF serve districts?

It may be too early to gauge the ECF’s full effects—although the last application window closed in May 2022, districts have until June 2024 to complete their purchases of goods and services. If there is a connection between ECF and closing the digital divide at districts, it could be at least another year before student outcomes might reflect these efforts.

Nevertheless, the impressive response from districts serving high-needs students—as well as their success in securing substantial levels of per-student funding—are encouraging early indicators of its potential to reach its target audience. However, many students will still lack connectivity and/or devices after all purchases have been made.

ECF’s process of approving and disbursing the funds could have been considerably streamlined. By the time ECF funds are fully spent, COVID-19 will be well into its fifth year.

Looking ahead

Several other federal and state programs continue to provide funding for improving internet connectivity for students and their families. The FCC’s Digital Opportunity Fund, the Treasury’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the BEAD Program are together slated to provide more than $60 billion over the next several years from the federal side. Closer to home, California’s SB 156 emphasizes connecting historically high-needs communities throughout the state.

These ongoing programs could learn from ECF’s outreach efforts, which successfully garnered the interest of school districts that could benefit the most. In contrast to other federal programs whose low take-up rates have left resources unused, ECF applicants eventually exhausted the fund.

Future programs to fund internet connectivity could benefit by streamlining administrative processes. The FCC’s telehealth program would be an instructive model for any subsequent program. Although more limited in scope, it allocated $200 million within the first several months of the pandemic.

Digital literacy is crucial for ensuring positive educational outcomes. Districts could benefit from sharing information on their best methods for establishing and maintaining effective communication with families. Providing culturally and linguistically competent support for EL, Black/Latino, and low-income students and their families is particularly important. Libraries, library consortia, and community-based organizations have provided helpful examples in this realm.