69ý

Blog

Your Education Road Map

Politics K-12®

Politics K-12 kept watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: , .

Federal

Biden Calls for $130 Billion in New K-12 Relief, Scaled Up Testing, Vaccination Efforts

By Evie Blad — January 14, 2021 5 min read
First-grade teacher Megan Garner-Jones, left, and Principal Cynthia Eisner silent clap for their students participating remotely and in-person at School 16, in Yonkers, N.Y., on Oct. 20, 2020.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

President-elect Joe Biden is calling for $130 billion in additional COVID-19 relief funding for schools, ramped up testing efforts, and accelerated vaccine distribution strategies to help reopen “the majority of K-8 schools” within the first 100 days of his administration.

The proposals, which Biden announced in a speech Thursday night, are part of a $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” that also seeks $350 billion in aid to state, local, and territorial governments.

“We can [open schools] if we give school districts, communities, and states the clear guidance they need as well as the resources they will need that they cannot afford right now because of the economic crisis we are in,” Biden said. “That means more testing and transportation, additional cleaning and sanitizing services, protective equipment, and ventilation systems in the schools.”

The plan will require approval from Congress, both chambers of which are narrowly controlled by Democrats, who have called for larger relief efforts. But some components, like a proposal for additional direct relief payments to individuals, may be sticking points for some members in both parties.

Biden’s announcement comes as schools around the country that have opened for in-person learning continue to face rolling closures and quarantines as they identify cases of COVID-19 among students and teachers. It also comes as many large districts, which have remained in remote learning since March 2020, struggle to determine when and how to reopen their buildings.

Some epidemiologists have said schools should “be bolder” about opening with proper mitigation strategies. But some teachers and administrators fear doing so in communities with rapid spread of the virus. And many education groups have said schools need additional federal aid to face the challenges of an unprecedented school year.

The CARES Act, a relief package that passed in the spring, included $13.2 billion in aid for school districts, and a spending compromise enacted in December included an additional $57 billion.

The education relief funding in Biden’s proposal could be used for a wide range of purposes, including hiring additional staff to reduce class sizes, modifying spaces to allow for more social distancing, improving ventilation systems, providing school nurses for schools that don’t have them, building up remote learning resources, and providing additional academic and social-emotional supports for students when they return to the classroom.

A portion of the new K-12 funding in Biden’s plan would be set aside for a COVID-19 Educational Equity Challenge Grant, “which will support state, local and tribal governments in partnering with teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to advance equity- and evidence-based policies to respond to COVID-related educational challenges and give all students the support they need to succeed,” according to an outline released by the transition team.

Biden’s call for state and local aid may also answer concerns from some education groups that have said the effects of education-specific relief funds may be muted if they merely backfill for budget cuts as the economy suffers and tax revenues dwindle.

The plan also calls for increased Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, which would allow schools to seek reimbursement for supplies like masks and cleaning equipment. And it would provide emergency expanded sick leave to allow families to quarantine without risking lost wages.

Vaccine distribution efforts would be stepped up

Biden’s plan calls for $160 billion in funding “to mount a national vaccination program, expand testing, mobilize a public health jobs program, and take other necessary steps to build capacity to fight the virus,” according to the transition team outline.

“We can’t wait to slow the spread of this virus. And, we can’t fight this pandemic in fits and starts,” the plan says.

Of that funding, $20 billion would be used for a national vaccine campaign that would include community vaccination centers and mobile units to deliver inoculations in “hard-to-reach” areas.

As Education Week has reported, most states have identified teachers among their vaccine priority groups, often placing them in line behind health-care personnel, nursing home residents, and other older adults. But logistical concerns and a slower-than-expected roll-out of the first doses mean some educators and school employees have waited longer than they expected to get their first shots.

Beyond school workers, higher vaccination rates in the general community will contribute to efforts to build “herd immunity,” making it less risky for adults to gather in schools and other buildings.

Aiming to step up testing efforts

Of the funding included in the plan, $50 billion would by used for a “massive expansion of testing” that would include increased use of rapid tests, expanding lab capacity to process tests faster, and aid to schools and local governments to carry out testing programs.

“Expanded testing will ensure that schools can implement regular testing to support safe reopening; that vulnerable settings like prisons and long-term care facilities can regularly test their populations; and that any American can get a test for free when they need one,” the plan says.

As Education Week has reported, the Trump administration has provided 100 million rapid tests to states to help with efforts to reopen schools. But epidemiologists say schools need more tests conducted more frequently. Some districts, like New York City, have announced their own testing plans, sampling random groups of students and staff on a rotating basis to monitor the success of their mitigation efforts.

Monitoring success may prove difficult

Education groups praised Biden’s proposal Thursday.

“Making these necessary investments is the only way to ensure that school buildings and campuses are reopened in a safe and equitable manner and that all students have what they need to thrive,” said a statement from Becky Pringle, the president of the National Education Association.

Biden’s stated goal of opening “the majority of K-8 schools” is narrower than what he’s suggested in the past, when he spoke more generally about opening all schools. Some districts have focused on opening classrooms for earlier grades, citing research that older students are more likely to deal with severe symptoms.

And it may be difficult to determine when and if the nation has met that goal. There is no federal data on schools’ operating status to indicate how many are open to in-person learning. Even in districts that are open, many families have opted to keep their children at home for remote learning.

Even if Biden meets the goal, the 100-day threshold would elapse at the end of April, which is near the end of the school year in some states.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Politics K-12 blog.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Federal From Our Research Center How Educators Say They'll Vote in the 2024 Election
Educators' feelings on Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump vary by age and the communities where they work.
4 min read
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Julio Cortez/AP
Federal Q&A Oklahoma State Chief Ryan Walters: 'Trump's Won the Argument on Education'
The state schools chief's name comes up as Republicans discuss who could become education secretary in a second Trump administration.
8 min read
Ryan Walters, then-Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Superintendent, speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Ryan Walters speaks at a rally on Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City as a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction. He won the race and has built a national profile for governing in the MAGA mold.
Sue Ogrocki/AP
Federal Why Trump and Harris Have Barely Talked About 69ý This Election
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump haven't outlined many plans for K-12 schools, reflecting what's been the norm in recent contests for the White House.
6 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate in an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center on Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Who Could Be Donald Trump's Next Education Secretary?
Trump must decide if he wants someone with a "proven track record" or a "culture warrior," says a former GOP Hill staffer.
9 min read
President Donald Trump, right, arrives in a classroom at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Fla., on March 3, 2017.
President Donald Trump, right, arrives in a classroom at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Fla., on March 3, 2017.
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP