NEWS
	Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554	News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 202/418-2555
	This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2000   FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Adamske 418.8221
	STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN WILLIAM E. KENNARD AND COMMISSIONER GLORIA TRISTANI E-RATE TO RECEIVE FULL FUNDING $186 Million to be sent this week
	We are pleased to announce that funding commitments for the third year of the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Program - known as the E-Rate - will begin this week. This year's program will be funded at $2.25 billion - the full amount allowed under the Commission's rules. The E-Rate is a cornerstone of the Commission's efforts to bridge the Digital Divide. From America's largest urban areas to its most rural and insular regions, the E-Rate is delivering telecommunications services to schools, libraries and communities nationwide. For example, over the first two funding years of the program, the Detroit Public School District - Where some of its students learn in 19th Century, coal heated buildings - received nearly $40 million in E-Rate discounts to allow its 175,000 students to gain access to the Internet. Also, the Kuspuk School District in Aniak, Alaska - which is only accessible by air - used the over $400,000 in discounted funding it received to wire all of its school buildings and connect its 425 mostly Eskimo students to the Internet. Through the E-Rate program, we have brought to life the promise of universal access to modern communications services at the nation's schools and libraries- regardless of their wealth or geography. Recent statistics indicate that the E-Rate is making the grade: 63% of public school classrooms had Internet access in 1999, a 12% rise in Internet connectivity since 1998. Last year, 82% of the Nation's public schools and over half of the public libraries received discounted services under the program, with more than 53,000 urban schools and more than 25,000 rural schools receiving E-Rate support. This year's applications for discounts show high demand for the program: it received over 36,000 applications totaling $4.7 billion in discount requests. While we are unable to fulfill all applicant requests this year, we are certain that Year Three of the E-Rate will build on the program's extraordinarily successful legacy and continue towards our goal of connecting every classroom to the Internet in a way that meets the needs of the future. The first wave of funding commitment letters, which will be mailed this week, commits approximately $185.6 million in support to public and private schools and libraries nationwide. Other funding waves, committing the remaining funds, will follow each week. --FCC--