E-rate Commentary

by John Harrington

Leadership Insight: Scaling Systems is Easy. Scaling Trust is the Real Work.

Recently, I’ve been deep in strategic planning: launching platforms, refining outreach, preparing for policy windows, and guiding leadership transitions. On paper, it’s the kind of work that looks like systems...

Don’t Let Your E-rate Melt: Mid Summer Checkpoint

School’s almost back, the popsicles are half‑melted, and USAC is still cranking out decisions. Here’s what you can do right now—before the back-to-school scramble kicks in. “Did I get funded?”...

by John Harrington

Connection Before Content: The Leadership Lesson We Can’t Afford to Miss

“Connection before content.” It’s one of those phrases that sounds simple, but carries a surprising amount of weight. I’ve found that living by it — not just agreeing with it...

FY 2026 Competitive Bidding Has Begun — 3 Smart Moves to File Form 470 with Confidence

The FY 2026 FCC Form 470 portal is already live in EPC, giving schools and libraries a full year-plus to run competitive bidding before next spring’s application window. An...

by John Harrington

What’s a Leader to Do?

This past week, everything seemed to go sideways. My email account locked me out. There were banking issues that took hours to untangle. Messages weren’t going through. Phone calls dropped....

by John Harrington

It’s a Pleasure, Not Pressure

Last week, I had the privilege of hearing cricket legend Kapil Dev speak. Someone asked him about the pressure elite athletes face — the constant scrutiny, the demand to perform,...

Strengthening K–12 Cybersecurity: Why Your Voice Is Needed Now

Technology fuels modern learning, powering everything from digital lessons to school operations. But it also creates new vulnerabilities that cybercriminals are eager to exploit. Over the past few years, cyberattacks...

by John Harrington

Beginnings Are Invitations

The beginning of a new year—fiscal or otherwise—is not just a calendar reset. It is an invitation. An invitation to recommit to what matters. To realign with your values. To...