Legislation Appropriates More than $30 Billion in Education Funding
Los Angeles – Today, President Trump signed the CARES Act, a comprehensive coronavirus relief package that includes $30.75 billion for K-12 schools and higher education. California Charter Schools Association President and CEO Myrna Castrejón issued the following statement on the passage of the legislation:
“As a nation we must be united during this health crisis, and I commend House and Senate legislators for their bipartisan support and President Trump for signing the much needed legislation that will provide public schools, including charter schools, with additional funding to help academic continuity for our teachers and students. These additional federal resources will further empower all public schools to meet the needs of students in this unprecedented moment.
“During this public health crisis, charter and traditional public schools have demonstrated how essential they are to the communities they serve: school nutrition program continuation; supporting teachers transitioning to distance learning; and ensuring that our most vulnerable students are not left behind during this pandemic. We are better together and we must stand together now more than ever.”
The CARES Act includes the following in additional funding for schools:
- $13.5 billion directly to states to be awarded to local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter LEAs, for a broad and flexible range of coronavirus-response activities. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, schools are expected to receive funding at a level approximate to 80% of their Title I share.
- $3 billion of these funds are provided to governors to allocate at their discretion for emergency support grants to LEA’s most significantly impacted by coronavirus.
- The Secretary of Education is required to report to congress within 30 days on the need for any additional waivers or flexibility for states and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) of federal education laws such as special education (IDEA), Rehabilitation, Perkins Act and ESSA.
- $14.25 billion for higher education emergency relief to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus for institutions of higher education.
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