Category: Government Actions

USDE Announces GEER Block Grants (April 17, 2020)

On April 14, 2020, the US Department of Education (USDE) announced that nearly $3 billion will be made available to governors to ensure education continues for students of all ages impacted by the coronavirus national emergency. The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is a flexible “emergency block grant” designed to enable governors to decide how best to meet the needs of students, schools (including charter schools and non-public schools), postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations. Pennsylvania will be able to receive $104, 418, 240.00.

In an effort to get these emergency funds to states as quickly as possible, USDE has streamlined the application process and reduced the red tape and delays typically associated with the award of federal grant funds; all that is required is the completion of a brief application, which can be digitally signed and submitted in PDF to the email address [email protected]. 

The application, including instructions to apply, is available on the Department’s website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/governors-emergency-education-relief-fund/. Once states have submitted the signed PDF, the Department expects to obligate the funds within three business days.

PDE Opens the Flexible Instructional Day Application Process (April 16, 2020)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)  has disseminated a memo via PennLink titled Opening Flexible Instructional Day Application Process. The memo states that PDE will be reopening the application window for the FID program starting April 15, 2020.  To view this memo visit the PAPSA website by clicking here. For additional information, including the FID program application, guidance document and law, contact the PDE School Services Office at [email protected].  

To access the FID webpage, please click on the following link:

Flexible Instructional Day Program Webpage 

Governor Wolf Extends School Closure for Remainder of Academic Year (April 9, 2020)

Secretary of Education Implements State-Level Waivers to Ensure Continuity and Flexibility

Continuing his efforts to protect the health and safety of students and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf has announced that all schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. The governor made the decision in consultation with Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. Students and families can continue to pick up meals at designated sites.

Although schools are closed, teaching and learning may continue. Schools are strongly encouraged to provide continuity of education for all students in the most appropriate and accessible ways possible. PDE has secured resources intended to help all schools that want to use them – including those not currently offering online platforms, those requiring additional technology support, and those that may rely on traditional methods, such as paper lessons, to continue educating students. There is no cost to schools or students for these resources.

Schools will remain closed though the end of the 2019-2020 academic year as it is defined by the local school calendar.

The decision applies to all public K-12 schools, brick and mortar and cyber charter schools, private and parochial schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units. All PDE early learning program classrooms, including those for Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) and Preschool Early Intervention, will also remain closed.

Secretary Rivera said the administration’s primary consideration has always been to make the best decision in the context of student and community health and safety and stated that the “action to close schools for the remainder of the academic year provides school communities with predictability and understanding of the conditions under which they’ll be operating and serving students. As schools and communities adapt to the prolonged school closure, PDE will continue to work with our state, educational, and business and nonprofit partners to meet the needs of students.”

Colleges and universities may not resume in-person instruction or reopen their physical locations until the governor permits them to open or lifts the closure of non-life-sustaining businesses.

Under the state’s directive, schools could begin summer programming on the day after their academic year ends.

Secretary Rivera added that all re-openings will be contingent on public health guidance provided by the Secretary of Health and stay-at-home orders issued by the governor.

In addition to the school closure announcement, through his order Secretary Rivera also took action that will ensure crucial stability of education programs. Under Act 13 of 2020, the secretary has exercised his executive authority to adjust requirements for the evaluation of professional employees and waive student teaching requirements that may not be possible in the context of school closures.

PDE has been providing ongoing guidance to school communities in the form of FAQs. The guidance information is available at education.pa.gov/COVID19.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, please visit the Department of Education’s website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Authorizes New Funding Flexibilities to Support Continued Learning During COVID-19 National Emergency (April 7, 2020)

On Monday, April 6th, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced a new streamlined process for providing states funding flexibilities to best meet the needs of students and educators during the COVID-19 national emergency. The new flexibilities, authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, allow schools to repurpose existing K-12 education funds for technology infrastructure and teacher training on distance learning, among other flexibilities to move resources to areas of highest need during the national emergency. 

Any state may complete a brief form available at oese.ed.gov, and it will receive an initial determination within one business day. Using the form, states can receive flexibility in the use of funds and other requirements covered under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), including the Title I, Parts A-D, Title II, Title III, Part A, Title IV, Parts A-B, and Title V programs. Specifically, states may request a waiver of:

  • Section 1127(b) of Title I, Part A of the ESEA to waive the 15% carryover limitation for Title I, Part A funds;
  • Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to extend the period of availability of prior fiscal year funds, for Title I, Parts A-D, Title II, Title III, Part A, Title IV, Parts A-B, and Title V, Part B programs, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth program;
  • Section 4106(d) of Title IV, Part A of the ESEA to waive a needs assessment to justify the use of funds;
  • Section 4106(e)(2)(C), (D), and (E) of Title IV, Part A of the ESEA to waive content-specific spending requirements;
  • Section 4109(b) of Title IV, Part A of the ESEA to waive spending restrictions on technology infrastructure; and
  • Section 8101(42) of the ESEA to waive the definition of “professional development,” which might otherwise limit the ability to quickly train school leaders and teachers on topics like effective distance learning techniques.

This action follows USDE’s earlier announcement of a turnkey waiver process allowing states to cancel federally-mandated standardized testing, in response to widespread school closures in the wake of the declaration of a national emergency. Since that announcement, Secretary DeVos has approved waivers for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It further builds on the Department’s actions to support states and local education leaders since the outbreak of COVID-19, including guidance on ensuring students with disabilities have access to distance learning opportunities and providing an extension for states that need additional time to develop career and technical education plans under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V).

To learn more on this topic, please read the press release by clicking here.

PDE Provides $5 Million for Equity Grants for Schools to Purchase Computer Equipment (April 2, 2020)

The PA Department of Education (PDE) has allocated up to $5 million dollars in state funding for equity grants for schools to purchase computer equipment, such as laptops, tablets, and internet hot spots, or to use towards providing instructional materials, such as paper lessons and coursework.

PDE will also allocate new federal monies to these grants as the federal appropriations become available.

Schools with the highest percentages of students lacking access to resources will be given priority in receiving these grants.

Grant applications will be available on April 6 and must be submitted through PDE’s eGrants system by April 10. For more information, please click here.