Ruppersberger: Covid-19 "american Rescue Plan" Includes More Than $3 Billion for Maryland Schools
Press Release
Maryland schools, colleges and childcare centers would receive more than $3 billion under the proposed "American Rescue Plan," Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger said today after new estimates were released by the Congressional Research Service. The nonpartisan public policy research agency analyzed the sweeping COVID-19 reform package advanced by a House committee last week and slated for a vote as early as next week.
In all, Maryland would receive:
More than $2 billion from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which will give K-12 schools the resources they need to reopen safely for in-person instruction and address significant impact of the pandemic on students' education and well-being. The five jurisdictions compromising Maryland's Second District -- Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard Counties as well as Baltimore City -- could receive an estimated $954 million.
$549 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which is awarded directly to institutions of higher education. At least half of the funding institutions receive must be distributed to students in the form of emergency grants to prevent hunger, homelessness, and other hardships caused by COVID-19.
$504 million in supplemental funding for childcare, which will help childcare providers keep their doors open and reduce costs for struggling families.
$11 million in emergency funding for Head Start, which will be used to maintain access to services for children and families.
"Our state and local education leaders have been pleading for more resources to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic," Congressman Ruppersberger said. "This funding will help school districts safely reopen schools for in-person learning and address the difficult, long-term challenges of helping students make up for lost time in the classroom. I look forward to supporting this desperately-needed legislation in the coming days."
Source