The E-Rate program has been helping U.S. schools and libraries connect to the internet since 1997. The largest federal education technology program, E-Rate was authorized under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and is overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

In 2014, the FCC approved a massive $1.5 billion annual increase for the E-Rate program to help schools pay for broadband connectivity and network infrastructure. The FCC also restructured the program.

Throughout the restructuring process, educators submitted comments to the FCC, signed ISTE petitions, shared school broadband stories and tweeted the FCC about the need to increase funding. This infographic illustrates how the program has evolved through these recent changes.

In addition to the funding increase, policy makers implemented many significant changes to the program. The slideshow below outlines the new structure of E-Rate to help you plan and develop your programs