From our Friends at CAPE:
Which LEA is responsible for providing equitable services to non-public school students and teachers under the CARES Act programs?
…the LEA in which a non-public school is located is responsible for providing equitable services to students and teachers in the school…
Must an LEA offer to provide equitable services under the CARES Act programs to students and teachers in all non-public schools located in the LEA, even if a nonpublic school has not previously participated in equitable services under Title I, Part A or Title VIII of the ESEA?
Yes. An LEA must offer to provide equitable services under the CARES Act programs to students and teachers in all non-public schools located in the LEA, even if a non-public school has not previously participated under Title I, Part A or Title VIII of the ESEA.
Are all students and teachers in a non-public school eligible to receive equitable services under the CARES Act programs?
Yes. All students and teachers in a non-public school are eligible to receive equitable services under the CARES Act programs, unless a Governor (under the GEER Fund) or an SEA (through the SEA reserve under the ESSER Fund) targets funds for a specific purpose or population of public and non-public school students. Unlike Title I, Part A, which limits eligibility for services to low-achieving students residing in a participating Title I school attendance area, section 18005(a) of the CARES Act does not impose any such eligibility requirements and instead requires an LEA to provide equitable services “to students and teachers in non-public schools.”
Read the
entire document for information about “supplement not supplant” requirements not applying to CARES Act equitable services, what constitutes the provision of equitable services under Section 1117 of ESEA, and how the proportional share is calculated. Many questions remain unanswered, however, so further clarification from the Department may be needed in the coming weeks.
As some of you may know, the U.S. Department of Education has made grant funds available for COVID-related expenses under the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) program. Public and private schools can apply for this grant, and it is administered through the state’s department of education. Recently, it has come to our attention that some states require applicant schools to agree to certain terms and conditions that may negatively impact your school’s ability to operate according to its sincerely-held religious beliefs.
If your school has either submitted a grant application or is considering doing so, please contact our ministry partner, ADF using the button below so they can help you navigate these legal issues and better protect your school’s religious liberties.
The League of Christian Schools
The ADF Ministry Alliance Team
