The Federal Communications Commission voted last week to change a policy designed to protect net neutrality. The measure reverses a FCC policy designed to prevent internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing the flow of content over the internet. Critics fear the new policy will open the door for ISPs to create fast and slow lanes in a way that reduces online options for K-12 districts. Educators regularly access web-based lessons, videos, classroom activities, curricula, and other materials, so the issue is definitely on the minds of the education technology and teaching communities.
Education technology leaders are concerned school districts will see their access to academic resources reduced if internet service providers channel key content into slow lanes. They also worry startups that build businesses based on fast delivery of content to schools won’t be able to compete with huge vendors who can afford to pay ISPs for faster access. As Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education says in a recent interview with NPR, “when carriers can choose to prioritize paid content over freely available content, schools really are at risk.”[1]
These concerns are particularly potent given that many of the nation's K-12 districts have limited options when it comes to internet service. A survey by the Consortium for School Networking, for example, found that 43 percent of school officials, most in rural areas, said their districts have only one possible internet provider.[2]
“Who are those companies answering to?” Asks Culatta, speaking about ISPs who are assuring people not to worry. “They're not answering to my kids' teacher in their school. They're answering to shareholders.”[3]
