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Senate Votes to Squelch E-Rate Hot Spot Funding for Schools
The U.S. Senate voted on May 8 to nullify a rule issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2024 that allows schools and libraries to use the government’s E-Rate program to buy discounted Wi-Fi hot spots and related mobile connectivity services for off-premises use by students, school staff, and library patrons.
Recent News
  1. California los angeles LA California Launches AI Tool to Speed Wildfire Recovery
    California has launched an artificial intelligence-driven tool to accelerate rebuilding permits in Los Angeles following the Eaton and Palisades fires in January.
  2. Senate Bill Aims to Boost Water System Cyber Protections
    A bipartisan pair of senators have introduced legislation that would provide Federal funding to bolster community water systems against cyber threats and extend an existing program to boost resilience of water systems.
  3. Iowa Governor Signs Bill Restricting Student Phone Use
    Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law on April 30 that will restrict access by public school K-12 students to smartphones and other electronic devices during school instructional hours.
  1. Purdue University Powers Next-Generation Research With Advanced GPU Clusters
    To support growing demand for accelerated computing for research across artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor technology, quantum science, and beyond, Purdue University expanded its advanced computing resources through two key initiatives: Gautschi-AI and an expansion of the Anvil supercomputer to support the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR).
  2. Maryland, DARPA Launch Quantum Hub at UMD
    Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced on April 28 that the state of Maryland and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are partnering to establish the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub at the University of Maryland (UMD).
  3. California Gov. Sets 3 New Government AI Deployments
    California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on April 30 that the government is launching three major new deployments of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tech in state operations aimed at easing highway congestion, improving road safety, and streamlining customer service for taxpayers.
  4. smart cities Smart Cities Face Privacy Hurdles, GAO Warns
    As cities adopt more “smart” technology to manage infrastructure and improve public services, action on range of policy choices – such as improving collaboration and being more transparent about technology capabilities and citizen data use – can help to alleviate citizens’ concerns about data privacy and the costs of tech deployments, the Government Accountability Office said.
  1. Trump Launches AI Push in Schools, Apprenticeships
    A new executive order from President Donald Trump is directing the integration of artificial intelligence into K-12 schools in an aim to equip the future U.S. workforce with skills needed to further the technology’s innovation capabilities.
  2. University of Arizona Hires First Chief AI, Data Science Officer
    The University of Arizona has hired David Ebert as the university’s first-ever chief AI and data science officer.
  3. CISA, Partners Host LSU for Cyber Exercise in Simulated OT Environment
    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) recently hosted Louisiana State University (LSU) and industry partners at CISA’s Control Environment Laboratory Resource (CELR) for a cybersecurity training exercise.
  4. GovRAMP Launches New AI Security Task Force
    As generative AI capabilities reshape cloud technologies, GovRAMP has launched a new AI Security Task Force aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and trust standards for AI-powered cloud solutions used by public sector organizations.
  5. GAO: Billions Spent on Broadband, Millions Still Offline
    While the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Maps spotlight underserved areas across the nation as Congress continues to funnel billions into improving internet connectivity – millions of Americans still aren’t seeing benefits of that funding due in part to the need for better mapping data and greater coordination across Federal agencies.   
  6. K-12 Teachers Embracing GenAI Faster Than Higher Ed Instructors
    K-12 teachers are adopting generative AI (GenAI) technologies in the classroom at a greater rate than their higher education counterparts, according to new national survey data from the global edtech firm Cengage Group.
  7. Study: Half of US School Districts Trained on AI in 2024
    The number of U.S. school districts providing training for teachers on artificial intelligence technologies has more than doubled in the span of a year, with 48 percent of districts offering at least some AI training by fall 2024 – up from just 23 percent the year before.
  8. Virginia Beach Schools Roll Out Cloud-Based Transportation Tech
    Virginia Beach, Va., City Public Schools (VBCPS) has entered into a three-year contract with Zum, a company specializing in modern student transportation, to deploy a cloud-based platform to improve the district’s school bus system.  
  9. 3 N.C. Counties to Receive High-Speed Internet
    Three counties in western North Carolina are set to receive high-speed internet service thanks to more than $10 million in Federal and private funding.
  10. N.Y. Launches New $50M Broadband Push
    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is launching a new $50 million broadband funding push that aims to deliver broadband services to underserved communities in the state.