THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JAY ROCKEFELLER.

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) announced today that the Wayne County School District is being awarded $1,832.22 to assist students in gaining access to the Internet. Rockefeller co-authored the E-Rate program, which has drastically increased Internet access by providing discounts on telecommunication services to schools and libraries.

“Because of programs like E-Rate, West Virginia has the best record in our country for integrating technology and education,” Rockefeller said. “The promise of E-Rate is simple and straightforward: to assure that all Americans, regardless of geography, have access to new information technologies – and to make sure that everyone can reach the enormous opportunities that are available on the Web.”

Twelve years ago, Rockefeller worked with his colleagues in the Senate to author the E-Rate program. This came at a time when only 14 percent of classrooms were connected to the Internet, and only 5 percent of classes in disadvantaged schools were connected. According to the most recent survey published by the National Center for Education Statistics, the proportion of classrooms with Internet access has grown to over 90% nationwide.

Since the inception of the E-Rate program, West Virginia has received over $101 million in funding, with more than $9.9 million this year, to help schools and libraries pay the cost of linking to the Internet. Rockefeller has closely monitored this program in the years since he first co-authored the program and is reintroducing a bill to protect the long-term future of the Universal Service Fund, which includes E-Rate, to ensure that funding continues to flow to schools and libraries across the state. A breakdown of West Virginia funding levels for each school and library is available on the Universal Service Administrative Company web site at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/funding.