Congress recently passed, and the President signed into law on March 27th, the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides $2 trillion in emergency stimulus funding to address the immediate financial needs of families, businesses, and the education system amidst the economic fallout from COVID-19. Specifically for k-12 education, it includes $13.5 billion in flexible funds that can be used by SEAs and LEAs on a wide range of activities, including afterschool and summer learning programs, which are cited in the law. Additionally, the package includes $3.01 billion for an emergency Governor’s fund for states to use on a wide range of activities to address the pressing education needs, including OST programs.
Our panel of experts discussed what this law means for summer and out-of-school time programs. Our panel gave an overview of the educational provisions of the act, implications for funding sources such as CCDBG and 21st CCLC, the nonprofit relief provisions, and what we know about how SEAs and LEAs are planning to use these funds. Given Congress is already working on the 4th stimulus package, our experts also shared the legislative priorities they are advocating for as it relates to OST programs and provide insights on what we can expect in a future relief package.
Featured Panelists
Ally Bernstein, Vice President, Bernstein Strategy Group
Sage Learn, National Director Government Relations, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Erik Peterson, Vice President of Policy, Afterschool Alliance
