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John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 11, 2026

Category One in 2026: What Patterns Reveal About Bandwidth Planning

As the 2026 filing window progresses, many applicants are making Category One decisions in an environment that feels familiar on the surface, but subtly different underneath. Internet access remains foundational....

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 11, 2026

Leaders Set the Pace — Whether They Mean To or Not

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about a few related leadership ideas. I shared how experience teaches you not to chase every issue, but to position yourself well and...

February 10, 2026

FCC Streamlined E-rate Decisions (Feb 2026): What Schools & Libraries Should Know

The FCC released another batch of “streamlined” E-Rate appeal decisions in early February 2026. These rulings do not introduce new policy, but they reinforce critical boundaries around deadlines, competitive bidding,...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

Confidentiality as a Leadership Advantage

One of the quiet killers of effective leadership teams isn’t conflict.It’s the absence of it. When people no longer feel safe to speak honestly, disagreement doesn’t go away, it just...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

What Early Form 470 Filings Tell Us About FY2026

One of the simplest ways to take the pulse of an E-rate cycle is to look at Form 470 filings early in the year. By January 31, applicants have usually...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

E-rate in 2026: Stable, Essential, and Under New Pressure

As we move through the 2026 E-rate filing window, one thing remains consistent: E-rate continues to be a cornerstone of connectivity for schools and libraries. Even amid broader uncertainty—economic, political,...

John Harrington, CEMP

by Johna Harrington

January 29, 2026

Second Wave of E-rate Cyber Pilot Decisions: Larger Awards, Clearer Patterns

The FCC’s Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) released a second wave of funding commitment decision letters (FCDLs) for the E-Rate Cybersecurity Pilot Program on January 28, 2026, committing nearly $10...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

January 29, 2026

What Your Reactions Teach

Last week, I wrote about experience — and how leadership eventually becomes less about speed and more about positioning. About learning not to chase every ball, but to place yourself...