The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020. The relief promised by the CARES Act is desperately needed statewide, and the Maine Department of Education is eagerly waiting for the US Department of Education (USDE) to issue a notice inviting applications from State Education Agencies to apply for the funding. USDE’s statutory deadline to release the application is April 26, 2020.
Over the past several weeks leaders from the Maine Department of Education have been engaging in national discussions and internal planning sessions to prepare for the implementation of the CARES Act stimulus funding. Maine expects to receive $95.645 million in overall education stabilization funding, with $9.3 million for the Governor’s emergency education relief fund, $43.7 million in K-12 relief funding, and $42.5 million in higher education funding. The Maine Department of Education will apply for and manage the K-12 funding. It will be allocated to districts using the Title IA funding formula, as required by statute.
Additional details regarding the CARES Act funding are included in the Department’s Frequently Asked Questions document available here.
Please send your CARES Act related questions to the Department’s Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Chelsey Fortin-Trimble at chelsey.a.fortin@maine.gov.