Georgia public school districts will receive a total of $411,452,867 in COVID-19 relief funds this month.
Georgia applied for the funds through the Education Stabilization Fund Program Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, part of the federal coronavirus relief bill. The State Board of Education approved State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ recommendation to accept the funds in a called meeting today.
“I am pleased that Georgia school districts will receive substantial funding through the CARES Act,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “My Department worked to apply for these funds as soon as they were announced, and we remain committed to getting the funds to districts as quickly as possible, as we know the need is immediate. We will continue to pursue all possible funding avenues to help our school districts through the COVID-19 crisis and the related economic downturn.”
The funds are flexible in nature; districts can use them for a wide variety of efforts including distance/remote learning, school meals, supporting at-risk student populations, mental and physical health, supplemental learning, facilities/equipment, and maintaining continuity of core staff and services.
The funds can be used to reimburse expenses retroactive to March 13, 2020, and do not expire until September 2022.
For more information on Georgia public schools and COVID-19, visit gadoe.org/coronavirus.
How much will districts get?
The relief fund allocations are based on Title I eligibility and funding. The law requires that school districts be granted an exact proportionate amount of their 2019-2020 Title I allocation. For example, if a district received 10 percent of Georgia’s Title I, Part A funding in 2019-2020, they must receive 10 percent of Georgia’s relief fund allocations to school districts. The state department of education was required by law to use this funding formula for funding allocations.
Every county and city school district in Georgia received Title I, Part A funds in 2019-2020 and will receive a funding allocation. A few state charter schools declined Title I, Part A funds in 2019-2020 and are not eligible for funding. The education department is exploring ways to ensure these districts receive funding through the portion of Georgia’s total allocation over which the agency has discretionary authority.
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