PROVIDENCE, RI -- In an effort to provide Providence's public schools with state of the art technology, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined Mayor David Cicilline, Providence Public School Superintendent Donnie Evans, and other school officials in announcing the successful appeal of an award of nearly $800,000 through the federal E-Rate program to the Providence Public School District for upgrades to telecommunications and Internet service in all of its 45 elementary and secondary schools. "I'm pleased to have helped make sure that the federal government is making a wise investment in the Providence school system. This money will go a long way in helping to ensure that Providence's public schools are on the cutting edge of Internet and telecommunications technology," said Reed. "The federal E-Rate program has been a vital tool in helping to expand technology to school districts that may not have had access to the most up-to-date Internet and telecommunications technology. This funding will help ensure that our students not only remain competitive, but are able to excel." Reed helped the school district secure the funding late last year to help improve technology services to nearly 25,000 students. "This $800,000 funding commitment from the federal E-Rate program is a tremendous boost to the City's efforts to give our children every tool they need to succeed and excel in the academic and professional world of the 21st Century," said Cicilline. "This is the second year in a row that Senator Reed has gone to bat for the children of Providence and has secured this funding for our schools." In addition to helping Providence Public Schools save on its Internet access and telephone charges, this funding will allow the district to build and maintain its technological infrastructure including data cabling and network equipment. Evans stated, "I am grateful to Senator Reed for his strong advocacy in ensuring that Providence continues to receive this critical federal funding. E-Rate enables us to incorporate technology into our teaching and learning strategies, such as making it possible to access and track student test scores and data to assist teachers in accelerating student achievement. These funds are critical to our district." The E-Rate program is a competitive grant program administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The program provides discounts to schools and libraries across the country to help them obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. Funding for E-Rate is provided through a Universal Service fee that is charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications services. Discounts range from 20 to 90 percent depending on economic need and location, helping to bridge the gap between less economically well off school districts and wealthier ones. The level of discount is based on the percentage of students eligible for participation the National School Lunch Program or other federally approved alternative mechanisms.