The Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act provides economic assistance to address the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. This Act was passed by Congress with overwhelming, bipartisan support and signed into law March 27, 2020. The $2 trillion aid package provides financial aid in the form of direct payments to eligible taxpayers, expanded unemployment insurance, expanded lending for businesses and local governments, new loans and grants for small businesses, assistance to hospitals for ventilators and other equipment, and funding for state and local governments.

Idaho received $47,854,695 on May 18, 2020 from the U.S. Department of Education.

  1. Flow through to LEAs: $43,069,226. Preliminary allocations were released June 24, 2020. Use fund number 252 and Revenue code 445900 for these flow through dollars.
    2. GRA Drawdown Training Webinar

  2. State Set-Aside Reserve, Learning Management System (LMS) / Blended Learning: $3,785,470. These funds were released on July 28, 2020. These funds are prioritized for a learning management system and may be used to cover the costs of a current learning management system already in place, a one-time set-up fee for a new learning management system, professional development related to implementing an LMS.
    3. CARES Act Funding Webinar

  3. State Set-Aside Reserve, Social Emotional Learning: $1,000,000. These funds were released September 3, 2020. These funds may be used to support the development, expansion, or continuation of social and emotional learning/behavioral health and wellness services. This may include anti-bullying supports and activities, suicide prevention supports and activities, Title IX training, SEL curriculum, SEL professional development, a counselor position, behavioral health services.

Idaho received $1.25 billion.

Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance

  1. Technology: $1,000,000 flow through to selected LEAs. These funds were released July 15, 2020.
    2. Technology: Idaho Rebounds Coronavirus Relief Funds Webinar

  2. Non-ESSER: $1,000,000 flow through to selected LEAs: $3,785,470. These funds were released on July 23, 2020.
    3. Non-ESSER: Idaho Rebounds Coronavirus Relief Funds Webinar

  3. Distance /Blended Learning: $30,000,000 flow through to all LEAs. These funds will be released as applications are submitted and reviewed for each LEA.
    4. CARES Act Funding Webinar

  4. Special Allocation Use of Funds Table

The Coronavirus Relief Fund section (Title VI, Sec. 601) of the CARES Act may be found beginning on page 221 of the CARES Act.

The CARES Act requires that the payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund only be used to cover expenses that:

  1. are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19);
  2. were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or government; and
  3. were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020.

The performance period for these funds is March 1, 2020 – December 30, 2020. Use any fund number between 271-289 and use Revenue code 445900.

Coronavirus Relief Funds are not subject to equitable services.