COVID Policy

Overview

Policy & Legislation Updates

We have developed these webpages to provide updates on state and federal policy, legislation, and other key information to upport our communities while many of us are faced with new realities including sheltering in place, working from home, caring and educating children and youth from home, and many other new and unique challenges.

Resources to check often for up to date information include the:

Additional resources are being curated and these webpages will be updated often.  If you have questions about the content on this page or suggestions for additional content that would be useful please contact the CAN team.

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Federal Fiscal Relief and COVID-19: Implications for Californians
CA Update: April 3, 2020

California Budget & Policy Center

CARES Act Provides Funds to Address Potential Reductions to State K -12 Education Spending

To help shore up funding for K-12 education, the federal CARES Act establishes an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund that will provide an estimated $1.7 billion grant to the California Department of Education (CDE). At least 90% of this grant will be allocated to local school districts, charter schools, and COEs based on the proportion of federal Title I, Part A funding they received in 2018-19. Local school districts may use the federal CARES grant for a wide range of activities including coordination of response efforts to the coronavirus, planning for long-term school closures, purchasing educational technology, and providing mental health services. The CDE may use up to 10% of the federal CARES grant for emergency needs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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CAN Interview with Michael Funk on CDE Expanded Learning Division COVID-19 Guidance
Fireside Chat: April 1, 2020

CAN Interview with Michael Funk on CDE Expanded Learning Division COVID-19 Guidance

The California AfterSchool Network will be hosting a weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.

This first interview covers recent questions in response to guidance sent out from the Division on March 13 and March 27, 2020. If you have questions for future interviews please email the CAN team.

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Economic Assistance for Nonprofits and Small Businesses
Federal Update: March 31, 2020

Afterschool Alliance

From the Afterschool Alliance:

We want to let you know of two time-sensitive economic assistance opportunities for nonprofits, made available through the federal government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) department. These programs are designed to offset financial hardship due to COVID-19 and are open to both for-profit and non-profit organizations. We encourage you to apply rapidly as funds will go fast.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together a brochure and Schusterman Foundation has compiled all stimulus information into a Google doc that they are updating in real-time.

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COVID 19 Response Package #3
Federal Update: March 26, 2020

UPDATE: The third Coronavirus response bill was signed by the president on Friday, March 27.

The $2 Trillion COVID-19 Response Package #3/The CARES Act which was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, March 25 and will hopefully be passed by the House and signed by the President (who has already stated he would sign it) within the next couple of days.

The legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (The CARES Act), has several provisions that are essential for afterschool providers, including:

  • The State Education Stabilization Fund can be used to support afterschool and summer learning programs and their providers.
  • The additional funding for childcare can be used by afterschool providers/staff that are continuing to stay open to serve their existing students and/or the children of health care providers and other essential staff.
  • It makes it clear that non-profits are eligible for all the resources targeted to small businesses.
  • Makes changes to the charitable deduction for tax year 2020 to encourage support of nonprofit organizations.

See more details below and additional information on the Afterschool Alliance blog post.