ED, FCC Switching From Funding To Facilitating Education Technology

Education Week (9/27, Quillen) reports that ED and the FCC "both have helped launch initiatives that were billed as major breakthroughs but involved the two organizations as agents of collaboration, not primary funders," for education technology. "Last week, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski attended as Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. officially announced its Internet Essentials program, which will give families of students who receive free school lunches access to broadband Internet service for $9.95 a month, before taxes." The previous week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan "launched the Digital Promise center, a congressionally authorized clearinghouse dedicated to identifying, supporting, and publicizing the most effective education technology innovations." After initial funding, Education Week notes, ED will shift to a role focused more on linking stakeholders' ideas.