Comal Independent School District has a bone to pick with state legislators, who havenât released COVID-19 funds approved over a month ago.
Three federal stimulus packages passed during the pandemic included more than $19 billion for Texas public schools, but state leaders have yet to distribute most of the money. Local districts say they need it to cover pandemic-related costs.
A recent non-profit study said Comal ISD is awaiting $23.2 million and New Braunfels ISD $14.7 million in the two remaining rounds of federal COVID-19 stimulus money now awaiting a decision by legislative education committees. The Texas Legislature is holding back the money that s supposed to go to school districts â and thatâs not right,â Comal ISD Board President David Drastata said Monday.
The second and third rounds of ESSER funding, amounting respectively to $5.5 billion and $12.4 billion, have not yet been distributed to Texas public school districts. Morath said this is because the Legislature is awaiting guidance from the federal government on certain conditions tied to the funding.
According to the two most recent rounds of ESSER funding, states are required to maintain the same percentage of funding to support education allocated prior to the pandemic through fiscal year 2022-23. Morath said Texas faces a unique challenge here because House Bill 3 passed in 2019 infused a net $4.4 billion of new revenue year over year into school district budgets in FY 2019-20.
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After Congress passed the first stimulus bill last year, officials used the state s $1.3 billion education share to fill other holes in the state budget, leaving public schools with few additional resources to pay for the costs of the pandemic.
Three federal stimulus packages passed during the pandemic included more than $19 billion for Texas public schools, but state leaders have yet to distribute most of the money. Local districts say they need it to cover pandemic-related costs.
For more than a year, the federal government has been pumping billions of dollars into school districts across the country to help them meet the demands of the pandemic. Most states have used that pot of stimulus funds as Congress intended: buying personal protective equipment for students and teachers, laptops for kids learning from home, improved ventilation systems for school buildings to prevent virus transmission and covering other costs.
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For more than a year, the federal government has been pumping billions of dollars into school districts across the country to help them meet the demands of the pandemic. Most states have used that pot of stimulus funds as Congress intended: buying personal protective equipment for students and teachers, laptops for kids learning from home, improved ventilation systems for school buildings to prevent virus transmission and covering other costs.
But in Texas, local schools have yet to see an extra dime from the more than $19 billion in federal stimulus money given to the state. After Congress passed the first stimulus bill last year, officials used the state’s $1.3 billion education share to fill other holes in the state budget, leaving public schools with few additional resources to pay for the costs of the pandemic.
Congress allocated $19 billion in federal stimulus money to Texas public education, but schools have yet to see an extra dime
Three federal stimulus packages passed during the pandemic included more than $19 billion for Texas schools, but state leaders have yet to distribute the money. Author: Duncan Agnew (Texas Tribune) Published: 11:33 PM CDT April 7, 2021 Updated: 11:33 PM CDT April 7, 2021
(Texas Tribune) For more than a year, the federal government has been pumping billions of dollars into school districts across the country to help them meet the demands of the pandemic. Most states have used that pot of stimulus funds as Congress intended: buying personal protective equipment for students and teachers, laptops for kids learning from home, improved ventilation systems for school buildings to prevent virus transmission and covering other costs.