Federal & State Policy
Let’s commit to high school transformation
Federal COVID Relief Funds for K-12 Education are available to states and districts
Federal Covid relief funds for K–12 education by state
Find out how much your state will receive. Learn More
The federal government has responded to the COVID crisis and its profound disruption to public schools with historic investments in K-12 education. The CARES Act at the start of the pandemic, the COVID response and relief package in December 2020, the Governors’ Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds, and the March 2021 American Rescue Plan, specifically ARP’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund, all include significant funding for K-12 education. And with those investments, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the long-term systemic change public education desperately needs—and deliver on a promise of greater equity, rigor, and innovation.
What students are saying
Student ideas for using COVID Relief Funds for K-12 Education to transform high school
Zoey Young
Iowa Big, Class of 2021
Zoey Young, Iowa Big Class of 2021, explains why ESSER funding creates an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.
Josh Stern
Beacon High School, Class of 2021
Josh Stern, Beacon High (NYC) Class of 2021, calls for a national shift in thinking toward what can be, rather than what is.
Alexis Rodriguez
Summit Shasta, Class of 2023
Alexis Rodriguez, Summit Shasta (CA) Class of 2023, claims her seat at the table where funding decisions about high school programming get made.
Jordan Colin
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Class of 2022
Jordan Colin, a 12th grader at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (LA), calls for better inclusion of student voice in funding decisions about high school.
Diego Hernandez
George Westinghouse College Prep, Class of 2022
Diego Hernandez, a 12th grader at George Westinghouse College Prep (IL), tells policymakers that the students have invaluable insights of problems within a school and need to be part of discussions about funding to ensure that money is spent effectively.
Jordan Edwards
George Westinghouse College Prep, Class of 2022
Jordan Edwards, a 12th grader at George Westinghouse College Prep (IL), believes that infrastructure and increased course options, like more art programs, are critical investments to make.
