In late December of last year, Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 in response to the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic has created. In the CAA, over $54 billion is available for K-12 schools to use, which is in addition to what was provided in the CARES Act ($13.2 billion). The purpose of these funds includes purchasing materials and education technology to address learning loss and improve school facilities and infrastructure to reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus. Funding will be available through September 2022. There will be instructions from both the federal government and each state to explain the process the overall process of using the funding.
For your state’s allotment, click here. To learn how these allotments were calculated, click here.
What should you know? Schools and educational institutions will benefit from the $4.1 billion that governors can spend at their discretion towards K-12 and higher education, $2.75 billion of which is reserved for private schools.* Private schools that serve low-income students and have been most impacted by the virus have priority for this funding.**
The over $54 billion in direct K-12 relief is more than four times what school districts received under the CARES Act that the federal government enacted in March 2020, which provided $13.2 billion to districts. Take advantage of this funding now since states are receiving very little direct funding. Check your local state grant funding sites for additional information as soon as you can.
Boxlight, Inc. — a U.S. based company for software and STEM product development — has education technology solutions to help meet the needs of educators and students in remote and hybrid-learning environments. This includes interactive flat panel displays, lesson creation and presentation software, an online learning platform that delivers lessons both synchronously and asynchronously, STEM tools and lessons to create and augment both in-class and virtual makerspaces, and customizable teacher professional development courses that grow skills and build confidence. Boxlight has a proven track record for supporting educators across the country and have garnered multiple awards for its teaching and learning solutions.
To learn more about how Boxlight can support your search for education technology solutions, including grant justification points through our Grant Assistance Program, click Relief Package for Education.
* This funding cannot be used to support tax-credit scholarships, vouchers, and other forms of school choice.
** Private schools seeking CAA aid must agree not to obtain additional funding from the Paycheck Protection Program.