U.S. Department of Education Reverses Course on Extension of COVID-19 Relief Funds

This Education Week article reports on the U.S. Department of Education’s recent decision to end the flexibility for states to extend the use of COVID-19 relief funds. The USDOE’s decision represents a shift in priorities that may have significant repercussions for schools already managing post-pandemic recovery efforts. 

By canceling extensions recently granted to states, Education Secretary Linda McMahon is asserting that states and districts have had sufficient time to allocate their resources, emphasizing accountability in the use of taxpayer funds. However, this move may complicate recovery efforts in districts that relied on the extensions to finish long-term projects such as tutoring services, mental health support, and infrastructure improvements. 

This action is part of a broader trend seen in recent months, as the department has adjusted reimbursement methods and reduced staffing for managing COVID-19 relief grants.

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“By failing to meet the clear deadline in the regulation, you ran the risk that the Department would deny your extension request,” McMahon said. “Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.”

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