Secretary DeVos Releases $3 Billion in Coronavirus Emergency Aid for K-12 Public Schools
April 14, 2020
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the release of “$3 billion in aid for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund,” which was included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Governors are now able to apply for aid to “help public schools address the coronavirus pandemic.” The newly released funds are “separate from the $13.5 billion in the CARES Act earmarked just for K-12,” of which at least 90 percent must “go out to districts based on the Title I funding formula for disadvantaged students” under ESSA. Secretary DeVos noted that the grants for governors are “extraordinarily flexible,” with induvial governors able to “decide how much of the money goes to K-12 education versus higher education.