Ever since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act became law on on March 27, 2020, education stakeholders have anxiously awaited the release of billions of federal dollars for education in the states. Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that governors can apply for the $3 billion in relief allocated by the CARES Act as the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund.

The funds can be used for both K-12 and higher education and are designed to be "highly flexible," according to DeVos. Additionally, the very short, 15-page application for the funds is incredibly streamlined. It is essentially an agree-to-the-terms, sign, and submit format with a short questionnaire on how the state intends to use the funds for remote learning and technology.

Second only to California, Texas is set to receive one of the largest sums of money from this specific allocation - over $307 million. Sixty percent of that amount is based on our state’s population of individuals aged 5 through 24, and 40% of the funding is based on Texas students counted under the Title I, Part A formula. Gov. Greg Abbott can use the funds to provide emergency grants to school districts, institutions of higher education, or any other educational entities deemed essential for carrying out services to students to support continued instruction and operation. There are other provisions in the CARES Act, including $13.5 billion solely dedicated to K-12 education, that states are still waiting for more information on from the U.S. Department of Education.

Stay tuned to Teach the Vote and follow us on Twitter for updates. Also, educators can find up-to-date resources and information on the novel coronavirus, including more about the CARES Act, on the ATPE Coronavirus FAQ and Resources page.