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In March of 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Response & Relief Act (CARES Act), which provided federal financial support to Americans struggling due to COVID-19. Now, three CARES Act grant programs are ready for round two under the Education Stabilization Fund.
- Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund ($54.3 billion)
- Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEER II) Fund ($22.7 billion)
- Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER II) Fund ($4.1 billion)
Totaling approximately $82 billion, these grant programs provide extra support to schools and institutions of higher learning. The goal? Prevention, preparation, and response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
BearCom is here to break down who is eligible and how these funds can be utilized! Make sure to reach out to us if you have questions!
CARES Act Round 2: Who Is Eligible?
State Education Agencies (SEAs) are required to allocate at least 90% as subgrants to Local Education Agencies (LEAs). This includes school districts and charter schools.
These funds will go to Institutions of Higher Education, or IHEs. Allocations for public and nonprofit institutions may vary.
With this funding, governors make subgrants to the LEAs and IHEs in the state that have been impacted the most. Out of these funds, $2.75 billion is reserved for an Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program, while the rest of the funding supplements the CARES Act GEER Fund.
All governors should have applied for EANS funding by February 8th, 2021.
How Can Funds Be Used?
Allowable uses of funds can change from program to program. Let’s break down the uses for each.
ESSER II Fund
In general, this funding can be used for any activity that is authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other education statutes. More specific uses include:
- The coordination of preparedness and response efforts by local education agencies with health departments, all to combat coronavirus.
- Better equipping principals and leadership staff with related resources.
- Addressing the individual needs of low-income students, including homeless students or those with disabilities.
- Developing new procedures to improve preparedness and response efforts.
- Supplemental training for staff on sanitation and methods for minimizing the spread of infectious illnesses.
- Necessary supplies used for sanitation and cleaning in educational agencies.
- Planning for long-term closures. This includes providing technology for distance learning to all students.
HEER II Fund
This funding can be used to cover the many expenses that have resulted from the pandemic, as well as lost revenue. This can help pay for technology costs that accrue when transitioning to distance learning (as well as associated staff trainings and payroll).
GEER II Fund
As in the other funds, the GEER II Fund offers emergency support to local education agencies and IHEs that have been significantly and negatively impacted by the pandemic. The governor will deem these agencies and IHEs essential for emergency educational services. The funds can then be used to:
- Acquire new educational technologies for students (including low-income students or those with disabilities). All tech, from standard software to assistive or adaptive equipment can qualify, depending on the circumstances.
- Provide mental health services.
- Implement summer learning activities or afterschool programs. Online learning may be necessary during the summer months for certain students with unique needs.
- Repair facilities or make improvements that will lessen the risk of virus transmission. These grants can also be used to inspect facilities prior to repairs.
Make Sure You Meet All Program Deadlines
For many educational agencies and IHEs, Education Stabilization Fund dollars are an urgent need. Understanding this, the Department of Education can award funds if you are eligible without submitting an application.
The exception here is that any IHE that did not receive HEER funding with the first round of the CARES Act will need to apply for the HEER II. The deadline is April 15th, 2021.
Additional program deadlines include:
- ESSER II funding must be awarded by SEAs within one year and must be obligated by SEAs and subrecipients by September 30th, 2023.
- HEER II funding must be expended within one year.
- GEER II funding must be awarded by governors within one year and must be obligated by governors and subrecipients by September 30th, 2023.
Why Use Your Funding for COVID-19 Technology from Motorola Solutions?
A crucial element of maintaining quality remote education during the pandemic is ensuring that all staff and students are equipped with the right technology. New tech from Motorola Solutions can greatly improve operations in several ways.
Private LTE for Distance Learning
The second round of the CARES Act allocates funding for technology that ensures connectivity, which means it can be used to help implement Private LTE in school districts.
CBRS, or Citizens Broadband Radio Service, is a new private LTE network option to deliver secure internet connections to students at a lower cost and with speeds that can rival and even outperform Wi-Fi. This internet solution can help students and educators connect, as evidenced by BearCom’s partnership with the Patterson Unified School District (USD) in California.
With BearCom’s help, Patterson USD guaranteed a connection for over 6,000 students. Students can utilize laptops, tablets, and computers with this strong and versatile internet solution.
More Easily Monitor Social Distancing & Occupancy
With the help of Motorola Solutions technology, you can actually measure the distance between people. Not only that, but you can easily count how many students and staff are in a single area. This makes maintaining health and safety guidelines even more convenient.
Video Surveillance on Campus
In classrooms and on campuses, video surveillance is paramount, especially now when facilities operate at reduced capacities and follow social distancing guidelines.
BearCom works with Avigilon to offer state-of-the-art monitoring technology, which includes high-definition cameras, as well as AI analytic technology.
Surveillance today provides the ability to detect:
- When students are not wearing face masks
- When someone enters the building with a high temperature, thanks to thermal temperature sensing cameras
- Contact between students, to aid in tracing efforts
Two-Way Radios for Staff
Effective communication among staff is a must right now. The one-touch functionality of two-way radios allows for instant communication in an emergency. It also works well even when staff may be wearing personal protective gear (PPE), like gloves and masks.
BearCom works with Motorola to provide two-way radios—perfect for schools!
Learn More About How BearCom Can Help You “Go All On”
Navigating a pandemic and all the unexpected challenges that come with it is difficult, especially when ensuring that students still receive a consistent and quality education.
Luckily, BearCom is here to help. Contact us today to see how we can help you provide a seamless and high-quality education for students learning remotely—all with CARES Act Round 2 funding.
If you have additional questions about eligibility requirements for the Education Stabilization Fund, download our guide now!
DOWNLOADABLES
$82 billion fund overview
2021 college funding list
2021 Elementary and secondary school funding
2021 Governor funding
