RICHMOND, Va. – More money is coming to Virginia schools to help cover COVID-19-related costs.
The Virginia Department of Education is now accepting applications for more funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, the state superintendent announced on Friday.
Recommended Videos
This additional federal money to help schools cover COVID-19-related costs is from two relief funds established by the CARES Act: the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
$21 million in available GEER funds will be distributed to schools through formula-based and competitive grants. The money will support things such as:
- School nutrition operations and
- Virtual instruction for students in need of devices and broadband access.
$17.75 million in available ESSER funds will be distributed to schools through formula-based and competitive grants. The money will support things such as:
- Special education services and supports;
- School-based mental health services and supports;
- Social-emotional screening;
- Summer academic academies;
- Instructional delivery supports;
- Cleaning/sanitizing supplies for schools and school buses; and
- Facilities upgrades and protective equipment.
In total, Virginia received $43.39 million from the GEER fund and $238.6 million from the ESSER fund.
School divisions received a consolidated application for GEER and ESSER state funding earlier this week. The due date for completed applications is Aug. 14.
Virginia’s state superintendent also called on Congress to include more federal support for public schools in the next coronavirus relief package.