Education Department Announces Availability of $13.2 Billion in Emergency Relief for K-12 Schools

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that $13.2 billion in funds are now available to state and local education agencies. The Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief Fund (ESSER) is part of the CARES Act passed by Congress last month. Funds from ESSER are available to states and require that 90 percent of funds go directly to local educational agencies for immediate needs.

Allowable uses of funds include providing tools and resources for distance education, ensuring student health and safety, and developing and implementing plans for the next school year. On a call with stakeholders last Thursday, Secretary DeVos remarked that it is her hope states will use the funds to “drive meaningful change and build capacity.”

A streamlined process for applying for the funds has been implemented by ED to cut red tape and remove delays, and ED has promised to process each submitted form within three business days of receipt. States have until July 1, 2020, to apply for ESSER funds.

Learn more about the ESSER fund here.