The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) and Mobile Beacon commend the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its decision to expand E-Rate Program funding eligibility to Wi-Fi hotspots and mobile broadband services for off-premises use. This is a critical step toward closing the digital divide and addressing the persistent homework gap. However, we strongly urge the FCC to refrain from setting specific lending-period limits or punitive usage requirements. Instead, the FCC should continue giving educators and library administrators the flexibility they need to not only set appropriate lending-period limits for the various populations they serve, while also allowing them to revise or modify their policies in response to changing needs or unique challenges faced by the students or library patrons they serve.
