The newly passed federal COVID-19 relief bill provides about four times as much funding for K-12 schools as did the first coronavirus relief bill that Congress passed in March.
The increase in funding for schools means a big boost for the Erie School District, which is continuing its financial recovery, and other school districts in the region.
The Erie School District, the largest in northwestern Pennsylvania with about 11,000 students and a budget of $210 million, will receive $27,756,501 in aid under the new $900 billion relief legislation, according to preliminary estimates that Republican state senators in Harrisburg received this week.
The Erie School District received $6,761,026 in aid through the previous legislation, the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Gov. TimWalzâs recently updated order that elementary schools can begin in-person or hybrid learning starting January 18, 2021 is still leaving students behind.
For father Terry Otremba, getting his 13-year-old daughter Addison back into school is a must, he shared with Fox 9. Born with a rare chromosome abnormality, Addison has struggled under a full distance learning model. Walzâs changes didnât mention students with special needs, which âdisappointedâ Otremba, Fox 9 continued.
âIâm hoping what Governor Walz said today about getting them back in the classroom about the elementary kids fits in with special education as well,â said Otremba. âGet them in the class as soon as possible, because they are dying right now in some sense.â
Coronavirus Relief Summary
On Monday, December 21, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which includes the highly anticipated coronavirus relief package. The $900 billion relief package includes funding for stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, small businesses, vaccine distribution, health care, education, transportation, rental assistance, and agriculture. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation.
Compared to the CARES Act, the stimulus checks in this new relief package are smaller. Taxpayers making less than $75,000 can expect to see a $600 stimulus check, compared to $1,200 per person included in the CARES Act. Similarly, the relief package will provide an extension of the CARES Act unemployment insurance of $300 through March 14, 2021. Under the CARES Act, workers receiving unemployment received $600 per week.
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COVID relief deal includes billions for schools to improve ventilation, address learning loss during the pandemic
Updated Dec 22, 2020;
The $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus deal approved by Congress includes billions for elementary and secondary schools, including dollars to help with improving ventilation and air quality during the pandemic.
A total of $54.3 billion has been secured for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. This will send formula funding to states and school districts so they can respond to the coronavirus crisis.
Those dollars can be used for school facilities repairs and improvements, like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems projects to improve indoor air quality, as well as addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness and children and youth in foster care.