Yesterday, NPR reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will change its policy about reimbursing costs for personal protective equipment (PPE). In most cases, FEMA will no longer reimburse states for the costs of cloth masks/face coverings and some disinfection costs for non-emergency settings, including schools. As of September 15, the majority of these costs will be considered "increased operating costs" for public services instead of eligible costs for emergency protective measures.
For more information, please see this FEMA Policy document about the changes, which has also been posted to ASBO's COVID-19 blog along with other federal guidance, news, and updates.
ASBO International is working with other national education groups to advocate on this issue and sent a letter to FEMA this week expressing our concerns about the policy changes and impact on schools. As we learn more information, we will share it on this thread.
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ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org------------------------------