11-09-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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11 53. May Fund recipients incur expenses associated with the safe reopening of schools? Yes, payments from the Fund may be used to cover costs associated with providing distance learning (e.g., the cost of laptops to provide to students) or for in-person learning (e.g., the cost of acquiring personal protective equipment for students attending schools in-person or other costs associated with meeting Centers for Disease Control guidelines). Treasury recognizes that schools are generally incurring an array of COVID-19-related expenses to either provide distance learning or to re-open. To this end, as an administrative convenience, Treasury will presume that expenses of up to $500 per elementary and secondary school student are eligible expenditures, such that schools do not need to document the specific use of funds up to that amount. If a Fund recipient avails itself of the presumption in accordance with the previous paragraph with respect to a school, the recipient may not also cover the costs of additional re-opening aid to that school other than those associated with the following, in each case for the purpose of addressing COVID-19: • expanding broadband capacity; • hiring new teachers; • developing an online curriculum; • acquiring computers and similar digital devices; • acquiring and installing additional ventilation or other air filtering equipment; • incurring additional transportation costs; or • incurring additional costs of providing meals. Across all levels of government, the presumption is limited to $500 per student, e.g., if a school is funded by a state and a local government, the presumption claimed by each recipient must add up to no more than $500. Furthermore, if a Fund recipient uses the presumption with respect to a school, any other Fund recipients providing aid to that school may not use the Fund to cover the costs of additional aid to schools other than with respect to the specific costs listed above. The following examples help illustrate how the presumption may or may not be used: Example 1: State A may transfer Fund payments to each school district in the State totaling $500 per student. State A does not need to document the specific use of the Fund payments by the school districts within the State. Example 2: Suppose State A from example 1 transferred Fund payments to the school districts in the State in the amount of $500 per elementary and secondary school student. In addition, because State A is availing itself of the $500 per elementary and secondary school student presumption, State A also may use Fund payments to expand broadband capacity and to hire new teachers, but it may not use Fund payments to acquire additional furniture. 54. May Fund recipients upgrade critical public health infrastructure, such as providing access to running water for individuals and families in rural and tribal areas to allow them to maintain proper hygiene and defend themselves against the virus? Yes, fund recipients may use payments from the Fund to upgrade public health infrastructure, such as providing individuals and families access to running water to help reduce the further spread of the virus. As required by the CARES Act, expenses associated with such upgrades must be incurred by 297 297