The latest COVID-19 relief legislation being prepared by House Democrats – the HEROES Act – proposes $90 billion in funding for the Department of Education to help K-12 and colleges adjust to distance learning.

The legislation calls for $90 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that would provide grants to states to support K-12 and college institutions. The flexible funding can be used for, among other things, purchasing educational technology, coordinating efforts between state educational agencies and public health; training and professional development for college and university faculty and staff to use technology and services related to distance education; and emergency financial aid to postsecondary students for technology expenses.

The HEROES Act, which clocks in at 90 pages, includes several other noteworthy technology-related measures

  • 2020 Election – $3.6 billion in grants to states for contingency planning, preparation, and resilience of elections for Federal office.
  • Broadband – $1.5 billion to close the “homework gap” by providing funding for Wi-Fi hotspots and connected devices for students and library patrons, and $4 billion for emergency home connectivity needs.
  • Census Bureau – $410 million in expenses due to delays in the 2020 Census.
  • Indian Health Service – $500 million to provide health care, including telehealth services to Native Americans,
    and to purchase medical supplies and personal protective equipment; $140 million to expand broadband infrastructure and IT for telehealth and electronic health records system purposes.
Read More About
About
Kate Polit
Kate Polit
Kate Polit is MeriTalk SLG's Assistant Copy & Production Editor, covering Cybersecurity, Education, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs
Tags