Governor Kay Ivey on Monday awarded $70 million to support the Alabama State Department of Education’s (ALSDE) Education Health and Wellness Grant Program and $100 million to support the Educational Remote Learning Devices Grant Program.
“COVID-19 greatly impacted delivery of instruction within our public schools and, in many cases, exposed our weakest areas of remote learning capabilities,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “I appreciate Dr. Mackey’s plan that will provide our students the ability to continue learning despite the unprecedented circumstances. These funds will allow local schools to be flexible to meet the unique needs of their students while keeping them as safe as possible.”
Alabama received approximately $1.9 billion of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to respond to and mitigate COVID-19. Alabama Act 2020-199 designated up to $250 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to be used to support the delivery of health care and related services to citizens of Alabama related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Education Health and Wellness Grant Program will provide $70 million directly to local education agencies for the sole purpose of minimizing the exposure and spread of COVID-19 in Alabama’s public-school system. Local education agencies may only use the grant funds to:
- Fund salaries or wages for health care professionals or aides to provide COVID-19 response or care,
- to contract for specimen collection and testing of COVID-19,
- temporary facility improvements and supplies for nurses’ work areas for COVID-19 response,
- the creation of isolation areas for symptomatic students,
- screening equipment to check body temperature,
- and modification of school transportation vehicles to mitigate or isolate the spread of COVID-19.
“I appreciate Governor Ivey’s continued commitment to education in Alabama,” Dr. Eric Mackey said.
“The health and well-being of our students, teachers, and staff is a vital part of being able to deliver high-quality instruction to our students and this has been a key priority of the State Board of Education. The weighted distribution ensures that funds flow to our most vulnerable students which is critical during the pandemic.”
Alabama Act 2020-199 designated up to $300 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund to be used for expenditures related to technology and infrastructure related to remote instruction and learning.
The Educational Remote Learning Devices Grant Program will provide $100 million directly to local education agencies to fund the purchase of electronic devices and software and related training and maintenance services, for the purpose of facilitating remote virtual learning and the overall continuity of learning in Alabama’s public school system as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.