For Schools Receiving COVID-19 Relief Funds, Flexibility is Key
May 22, 2020
In a piece published by the Brookings Instition, Sarah Reber and Nora Gordon argue for as much flexibility as possible for states to allocate COVID-19 relief funding for K-12 schools. The authors assert that sending “most federal aid to states and school districts through a fiscal stabilization fund, rather than through expansions to existing federal programs, is the best way” to help schools serve students’ needs most effectively, especially to “protect the most vulnerable students.” Ultimately, that means separating emergency funding from the compliance requirements that come with Title I under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The authors go on to outline the steps states and districts should have to take to qualify for federal funds as well as how Congress can ensure that federal aid is used as intended.