Do States Have Enough Federal Funding to Safely Reopen Public Schools?

They haven't spent money that was doled out in the spring, and Congress allocated more in December. There are better uses for any new federal funding.

By Dan Lips

Feb 3, 2021

A central question at today’s confirmation hearing for Miguel Cardona, President Biden’s pick for education secretary, will be whether the nation’s public schools have enough funding to reopen during the pandemic.

Biden has proposed $130 billion in new emergency funding to help schools meet his goal of reopening within 100 days as part of his $1.9 trillion stimulus plan. On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer initiated the budget reconciliation process, which could be used to pass much of the administration’s spending package without support from Republicans as soon as next week.

Biden has described his plan as a necessary step to reopen the nation’s schools and economy.

The sooner that we get our kids and educators back in the classroom, the sooner parents can go back to work — but we need the funding to do it. My American Rescue Plan will deliver much-needed support to our nation’s schools to help them reopen and operate safely.

Join to continue reading

Get started with a free account or join as a member for unlimited access to all of The Dispatch. Continue ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN