Pennsylvania governor in battle with counties pushing to reopen
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf threatens to withhold federal aid to counties that open prematurely; Republican State Sen. Scott Martin reacts.
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Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that the state will receive $523.8 million in emergency federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education to help schools in the state respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
The one-time emergency relief is available through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund under the Department of Education (DOE).
According to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 90 percent of this funding -- roughly $471 million -- will go to the state’s more than 660 public schools and charter schools.
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The breakdown of how much each school will receive is determined proportionally to any Title I-A funding received in 2019 under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
“Our schools and educators have been working tirelessly to help students and their families during this crisis,” Wolf said in a statement Wednesday. “These efforts must be paired with investments that reflect the unprecedented scale of this challenge. USDE’s [The Department of Education's] approval of Pennsylvania’s application is an important first step in securing those investments.”
All school districts and charter schools are able to apply to their state Department of Education for funding.
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The funding that is provided under the DOE is intended to be used to address the needs that arose due to the coronavirus, “including food service, professional training, technology purchases, sanitization and cleaning supplies, summer and after-school programs, and mental health supports.”
But the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials projected in late April that school districts could see a loss of $1 billion because of COVID-19-related economic shortfalls relating to tax revenue.
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It is unclear if the CARES Act funding will be able to be used to cover the district’s local revenue losses.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented change to our school communities, and school leaders across the state have stepped up to ensure students and families continue to be served," Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera said in Wednesday’s statement.
"These funds will provide vital assistance during this critical time.”
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