IRATE: That's how many school districts feel about the the E-rate program, according to a well-researched story by ProPublica. Created in 1996 as part of the Telecommunications Act, the program was designed to help schools and libraries acquire telecommunications service through direct subsidies and mandating discounts from providers. However, evidence suggests that companies such aas AT&T and Verizon have ignored the mandate and instead indiscriminately charged certain school districts rates that are several times higher than rates charged to other, nearby districts. FCC regulators don't seem to be doing their job, either.
