The CARES Act: What’s in It for Education?

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. This $2 trillion economic relief package provides direct funding across several different areas of need, including education. Below is a brief outline of the funding specifically directed towards K-12 education.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund

Funded amount: $13.2 billion

• State Education Agencies (SEA) have until July 1, 2020, to apply for their share of the funds, which are determined by using the Title I funding calculations. To see an approximate breakdown of what each state will receive, visit here .
• Each state will develop an application process for Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) to apply for funds. To learn more about the process for your state, visit your State’s Department of Education website.
• 90% of the funds must be given directly to the state LEAs, 10% can be retained for emergency needs. SEAs have 1 year to distribute these funds.
• LEA’s can use these funds for a wide variety of uses - including anything that is authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This includes well-rounded education activities, like music education.
• To find out what your district has been allocated, check with your State Department of Education website to see if they have posted estimates. If not, you can check with the individual(s) in your district office who handles federal funding.

Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Act

Funded amount: $3 billion

• This is discretionary funding for Governors to address education needs due to Covid-19.
• These funds are for Governors to provide emergency support through grants to the Local Education Agency (LEA), Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), or other education-related entities that the State Education Agency (SEA) deems most significantly impacted by COVID-19.
• Distribution of funds was determined as follows:
  • 60% on the basis of the State’s relative population of individuals aged 5 through 24.
  • 40% on the basis of the State’s relative number of children counted under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).

• To see the state breakdown, visit here .
• To find out what your district has been allocated, check with your State Department of Education website to see if they have posted estimates. If not, you can check with the individual(s) in your district office who handles federal funding.

While these seem like large amounts of money, they fall drastically short of the estimated $650 billion dollar shortfall that state education budgets are facing due to COVID-19.

The next round of emergency relief funding is currently in Congress. NAfME has provided a tool that makes it easy for you to let your Congressional Representatives know how important funding for state education budgets is.

Let your voice be heard and together we can help keep music education programs in schools.