Learning with Technology - E-Rate Makes it Easier

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." For those of us who can recall school days before the advent of the Internet, this quote from legendary sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke rings especially true.

Yet today, the triad relationship between teaching, learning, and technology has become inextricably linked in our modern academic environment. Reliance on technology is now the norm. In many of today’s K-12 classrooms, textbooks are digital, students log on to Wi-Fi to complete and submit homework, and even many tests are conducted online. As technology advances, what seemed like sci-fi and magic years ago is now more common than paper and pencils for today’s K-12 students.

E-Rate was created as the primary education technology funding source in the US. In the early days, it was about putting your money where your modem is. Now those dollars help schools reach the overarching goal of preparing students for today’s technology-dominated global economy. It’s enabled educational leaders to reach important digital learning goals and connect students to valuable resources.

The Magic Is in the Mix

The past several years have brought significant forward momentum in educational technology. According to research, districts with more than 1,000 students accessed an average of 1,449 educational technology products online each month during the 2020-2021 school year.

As digitization continues to grow in all aspects of life, technology has become a means of keeping learning fun and engaging for today’s students. This is especially important given how commonplace online testing has become not only in K-12 schools, but in institutions of higher learning and the employment sector.

In the here and now, faculty and students rely on digital learning tools to supplement the curriculum, reinforce lessons learned, and assist with exam preparation. In the future, those tools will give students the real-world experience necessary for success after graduation.

A better-performing network with high-speed wireless connectivity will help deliver equal access to vital online content to ensure:

• Staff receive the necessary tools to optimize learning
• Students are set up for success in life from an early age
• School administrators are better equipped to adapt as changes to educational policies and requirements are made in your district

When teaching, learning, and technology work together, you’ve achieved the gold standard in education. Technology empowers meaningful connections, personalized learning, and collaboration between faculty, administration, students, and their families.

The Secret to Real Scholastic Sorcery

If your school’s IT network operators and administrative leaders are struggling with a subpar network that fails to adequately meet your school’s needs, achieving the above may have you wishing you could wave a magic wand.

With Extreme Networks, you can exercise today’s equivalent – the click of a mouse. Once you have a reliable and E-Rate eligible network solution, service and support will be at your fingertips. We put the power in your hands so you can enhance educational outcomes, deliver ease-of-use to all operators, and improve manageability for your IT team. With these essential elements, your reach is infinite:

• Easy integration between our system and your existing student directory
• Additional bandwidth where and when it’s needed
• Scalable and resilient cloud-driven network management
• Simplified subscription licensing and integral hardware
• Expert help with the E-Rate filing process
• 24/7/365 support from our 100% insourced Global Technical Assistance Center

Extreme Networks has helped over 20,000 schools and universities globally. And we’ve been involved with the E-Rate program from its inception, closely following each change and modification.

Our customers have attested to the difference our solutions make. “Coverage has been excellent. Students and teachers are able to easily get connected and stay connected. Class time is no longer spent getting on the Wi-Fi and students are able to show their work on the TVs for improved quality of education,” said Ryan Collins, Director of IT for Tri-State High School in New York, NY.

A magical learning experience in today’s K-12 classrooms is crafted around technology. We have the powerful potion it takes to help your school move confidently into the digital world.

Learn More

To learn more about how Extreme Networks can help you use our E-Rate eligible solutions to wield digital wizardry at your school, checkout our E-Rate Resource Center.