President Trump approved the use of grants to help cover the costs of in-person education, including enrollment in private schools, allowing parents to get their children back in classrooms.
Trump’s December 28 executive order allows states to use Community Service Block Grants (CSBG) to give emergency K-12 scholarships to disadvantaged children who have been locked out of public schools due to the pandemic. The grants can cover a multitude of schooling options, such as private school, homeschooling, micro-schooling, learning-pods, special education services, or tutoring.
“All families should be empowered to make the decision that is right for their own circumstance,” Trump stated in a press release.
In the $900 billion COVID relief bill, Congress provided $2.75 billion in funds to private K-12 schools ($54.3 billion to public schools) but prohibited the private school money from going directly to families. CSBG is normally distributed through organizations that help low-income families but this is the first time it can be used for private school tuition. In fiscal year 2020, CSBG funds totaled nearly $1.7 billion.
More HERE
