On March 25, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, legislation that takes important steps to safeguard the learning of all students whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19. Signed by the President, this relief package prioritizes emergency funding for all public schools, including charter schools, and gives state education agencies and governors access to additional resources to address the unique needs of the students in their states and to ensure equitable access for all.
The CARES Act includes $30.750 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to coronavirus.
- Elementary and secondary education: $13.5 billion is available for formula-grants to States, which will then distribute 90 percent of funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) to use for coronavirus-response activities, such as planning for and coordinating during long-term school closures; purchasing educational technology to support online learning for all students served by the local educational agency; and additional activities authorized by federal elementary and secondary education laws.
- Emergency support grants: Governors in each state will receive a share of $3 billion to allocate at their discretion for emergency support grants to local educational agencies that the State educational agency deems have been most significantly impacted by the coronavirus. These funds will support the ability of such local educational agencies to continue to provide educational services to their students and to support the on-going operations of the local educational agency and provide emergency support through grants to institutions of higher education serving students within the State.
- Under the CARES Act, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos would be required to approve and distribute the funds within a month of receiving state applications for funds. States would have flexibility in how they use the funds, and possible areas of spending include, but are not limited to:
- Cleaning and disinfecting supplies.
- Purchasing 1:1 devices and internet service for students without laptops and WiFi access.
- Training and professional development.
- Addressing the unique needs of low-income students, those with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness and foster care youth.
- Ensuring services like meals and special education continue during closures.
- Providing mental health services.
Funds will be allocated to LEAs based on the relative share of federal Title I funding they received last year. Funds can be used for a wide range of K-12 purposes, including purchasing educational technology to support online learning and making up for lost learning time. Importantly, the bill’s funding mechanism to LEAs ensures that charter schools receive their appropriate share of funding.
Furthermore, the CARES Act ensures all waivers from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act requirements granted by the U.S. Secretary of Education include charter schools and are implemented in accordance with state charter laws.
The bill also includes $100 million for Project School Emergency Response to Violence to address the impact of this emergency on students, including their mental health and supports child nutrition programs — with $8.8 billion for food purchases and demonstration projects to increase flexibility for schools.
More about CARES Act here.