Congressional leaders have reportedly struck a deal on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package along with the 2020-21 budget and appropriations totaling $1.4 trillion and may be poised to pass the package today.
According to the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the legislation will include the following:
- $54.3 billion dedicated to K-12 public schools
- $4.05 billion for the Governor Emergency Relief Fund which includes a set-aside for private K-12 schools
- $250 million for Head Start
- $10 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program
- $3.2 billion in emergency funds for low-income families to access broadband through “an FCC fund” (i.e., a new program and not through the E-Rate program)
- $1 billion tribal broadband fund
- $65 million to complete broadband maps pursuant to the Broadband DATA Act approved earlier this year
- New $300 million grant program to fund broadband in rural areas
The legislation does not include:
- state and local relief
- liability protections
- dedicated funding for the homework gap through the E-Rate program
Details have not yet been released, nor has the text of the bill been released, so please consider this tentative information until final language and reports from the key Congressional committees are available. We will let you know as more information becomes available.
