Dive Brief:

• Minnesota, Hawaii, and Arkansas are three states making major strides increasing broadband access to all students through unique initiatives. 
• The states are using E-rate and state funding sources to help pay for the upgrades, securing discounts by negotiating at the state level instead of leaving local districts to negotiate alone. 
• According to one report, Hawaii ranks first in the nation for providing students with high-speed access, while Arkansas is on track to get every student connected at 100Kbps per student, and Minnesota is embarking on a program to provide Wi-Fi hotspots to students who lack home connectivity. 

Dive Insight:

E-rate funding, which recently had its spending cap increased with the goal of funding more broadband projects for schools, has been a crucial component of increasing connectivity access for districts across the country. But the recent appointment of Ajit Pai to the head of the FCC, returning the panel to a Republican majority, could throw things in flux.

Comments Pai has made signaled that he was more in favor of channeling money to rural schools and libraries over urban ones, though any changes to the E-rate program have not yet been discussed. Pai is more likely to make waves concerning his views on net neutrality.