State governors will quickly be provided nearly $3 billion in emergency education block grants to ensure learning continues for K-12 and college students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Tuesday.
Betsy DeVosThe funds will be made available via the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, which is authorized by the $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus package. DeVos said the Education Department has reduced red tape and streamlined the application process to get these emergency funds to states as soon as possible. Instructions to apply are available on the department’s website.
“Governors have the opportunity to truly rethink and transform the approach to education during this national emergency and ensure learning continues,” said DeVos. “… I want to encourage each and every governor to focus on continuity of education for all students. Parents, families, teachers and other local education leaders are depending on their leadership to ensure students don’t fall behind.”
Last week, the department said it is immediately releasing $6.28 billion of the $14 billion allocated to higher education in the coronavirus stimulus package under the CARES Act.
