Andrew Ujifusa

A federal watchdog’s report indicated that less than 1 percent of CARES Act aid had been made available to local schools. Let’s explore why districts haven’t spent down a lot of that relief.

All but eight states specifically address at-risk funding for students from low-income backgrounds in their funding models for public schools, according to the Education Commission of the States.

By comparison, traditional public schools have received roughly $13 billion in federal coronavirus relief, although many in the K-12 field believe more aid is necessary.

Pennsylvania’s rejection of a formal complaint from the state Catholic Conference over COVID aid and private school students highlights a messy dispute taking place in many states.

The bipartisan coronavirus bill from Congress also has $3.5 billion for child-care grants and $750 million for Head Start, but does not have dedicated funding to help students connect to the internet.

While the education secretary said traditional spending and programs in education had only produced “sad results,” Democrats on a House subcommittee sharply criticized the Trump administration’s approach to the budget, charter schools, and civil rights.

President Donald Trump told a White House gathering that virtual learning is “not as good as being there” and said Democrats have made negotiations over virus aid for schools difficult.

Schools can use this pot of $13.5 billion in CARES Act money for a variety of purposes to help them deal with the fallout of the coronavirus.

The annual Education Next survey also looked at how President Donald Trump’s opinion on education topics affects public opinion, how political “populists” view the nation’s schools, and more.

If the GOP holds the Senate, Biden might face pressure to shift his preferences when nominating Betsy DeVos’ successor.