Congress has passed a $900 billion federal COVID-19 relief package that provides $81.9 billion in education aid with $54.3 billion of this aid targeted specifically to K–12 public education. The funding for primary and secondary education will be distributed through two different programs:

• The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund

  $54.3 billion for K-12 schools, largely delivered through Title I funding. That's about four times what schools received in the CARES Act approved in March of 2020.

• The Emergency Education Relief Grants to Governors

  $4.1 billion to be distributed using the percentage population of students in the state and the title 1 status of those students, with $2.7 billion of that allocated specifically to private schools.

The aid package also provides $22.7 billion for a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and separate funding to support access to child care. (https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/covid-second-round-federal-relief)

Like the first round of Covid relief aid in the CARES Act, the latest measure allows for a broad range of uses for dollars to stabilize schools. Districts can essentially use it for any activity allowed under other federal laws for education, including those for students with disabilities and those who are homeless. The measure mentions:

• Improving coordination among state, local, tribal and other entities to slow the spread of Covid-19

• Providing resources that principals need to address coronavirus at their schools

• Supporting school district efforts to improve preparedness

• Addressing the specific needs of disadvantaged students, including those living in poverty, learning English, experiencing homelessness, dealing with disabilities, or living in foster care

• Training staff on the best ways to sanitize schools and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Purchasing PPE and the supplies needed to clean and disinfect schools. The CDC has provided an analysis of the costs of such resources.

• Planning for school closures

• Purchasing the hardware and software needed to conduct remote and hybrid learning

• Providing services to support student mental health

• Supporting after school and summer learning programs

• Addressing student learning loss through evidence-based approaches, which can include assessments and distance learning equipment

• Repairing school facilities, especially ventilation systems, to improve air quality and reduce the spread of Covid-19. (https://www.future-ed.org/what-congressional-covid-funding-means-for-k-12-schools)

Advanced Classroom Technologies, and its vendor partners, are helping stabilize school districts by providing technology tools and services that facilitate a majority of the aforementioned activities related to Covid-19 response. Remote and hybrid learning technologies, sanitizing solutions, learning loss prevention software, integration services and a plethora of hardware tools to support teaching in the time of COVID-19 are all under one roof at Advanced Classroom Technologies. To learn more about how our team can help stabilize school districts, click the link below to schedule a consultation with one of our Education Technology Consultants. Together, we can make a positive impact on education in this time of crisis.