Legislative Affairs

The Department of Education (ED) recently published a website with guidance and information for schools about COVID-19, a.k.a. the "Coronavirus" at https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus.

School leaders can find the latest information about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), disease prevention tips, and fact sheets to help students, staff, and community members learn how to protect themselves. The website also offers specific CDC guidance for K–12 schools, which can be found here.

POLITICO reports the guidance was published in light of federal public health officials urging schools to prepare for more cases of the virus in the U.S., and notes that the CDC "has recommended that schools across the country develop contingency plans for school dismissals and closures, as well as the continuation of classes online."

ASBO members who would like to discuss this topic with their peers may find this thread on the Global School Business Network helpful.

• "Coronavirus implications for education and funding needs – The spreading coronavirus will have an impact on education, families, and the economy in both the near and longer term. Schools and college campuses in some hard-hit areas are temporarily closed or holding classes on-line. As more cases are diagnosed and decisions about prevention, containment and treatment are refined, the impacts will grow. As the supply chain knots up due to production disruptions, and if demand drops while people hunker down, there will be inevitable declines in state and local revenue that would impact next year's budgets, including education spending.
   
• Federal funding responses - Last week Congress passed an $8.3 billion emergency supplemental funding bill that will support research into a vaccine, treatments, stockpiling medical supplies, and low-interest loans for small businesses hit by the virus. That bill will not be the only federal response. There is already talk of a potential stimulus package, which could include targeted or broadly applied tax and spending policies. The Administration has mentioned aid to individuals or businesses affected by the virus, and others have suggested payroll tax cuts, delaying State and Local Tax (SALT) cuts by a year, or tax rebates.  Democratic Congressional leaders have mentioned additional aid to address public health and provisions to provide paid sick leave for those affected. Several House committees are holding hearings this week on the response and impact of the coronavirus, including Small Business on Tuesday, Oversight and Reform on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Homeland Security on Wednesday morning.
  
  
• Share what you are hearing – If you have examples of what type of assistance is needed in your specific educational areas, please share them with the Hill and with us." 
  • Please contact ASBO International so we can pass information on to CEF to compile information and share with Congressional leaders.

The Department of Education (ED) recently published a website with guidance and information for schools about COVID-19, a.k.a. the "Coronavirus" at https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus.

School leaders can find the latest information about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), disease prevention tips, and fact sheets to help students, staff, and community members learn how to protect themselves. The website also offers specific CDC guidance for K–12 schools, which can be found here.

POLITICO reports the guidance was published in light of federal public health officials urging schools to prepare for more cases of the virus in the U.S., and notes that the CDC "has recommended that schools across the country develop contingency plans for school dismissals and closures, as well as the continuation of classes online."

ASBO members who would like to discuss this topic with their peers may find this thread on the Global School Business Network helpful.

• "Coronavirus implications for education and funding needs – The spreading coronavirus will have an impact on education, families, and the economy in both the near and longer term. Schools and college campuses in some hard-hit areas are temporarily closed or holding classes on-line. As more cases are diagnosed and decisions about prevention, containment and treatment are refined, the impacts will grow. As the supply chain knots up due to production disruptions, and if demand drops while people hunker down, there will be inevitable declines in state and local revenue that would impact next year's budgets, including education spending.
   
• Federal funding responses - Last week Congress passed an $8.3 billion emergency supplemental funding bill that will support research into a vaccine, treatments, stockpiling medical supplies, and low-interest loans for small businesses hit by the virus. That bill will not be the only federal response. There is already talk of a potential stimulus package, which could include targeted or broadly applied tax and spending policies. The Administration has mentioned aid to individuals or businesses affected by the virus, and others have suggested payroll tax cuts, delaying State and Local Tax (SALT) cuts by a year, or tax rebates.  Democratic Congressional leaders have mentioned additional aid to address public health and provisions to provide paid sick leave for those affected. Several House committees are holding hearings this week on the response and impact of the coronavirus, including Small Business on Tuesday, Oversight and Reform on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Homeland Security on Wednesday morning.
  
  
• Share what you are hearing – If you have examples of what type of assistance is needed in your specific educational areas, please share them with the Hill and with us." 
  • Please contact ASBO International so we can pass information on to CEF to compile information and share with Congressional leaders.

The Department of Education (ED) recently published a website with guidance and information for schools about COVID-19, a.k.a. the "Coronavirus" at https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus.

School leaders can find the latest information about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), disease prevention tips, and fact sheets to help students, staff, and community members learn how to protect themselves. The website also offers specific CDC guidance for K–12 schools, which can be found here.

POLITICO reports the guidance was published in light of federal public health officials urging schools to prepare for more cases of the virus in the U.S., and notes that the CDC "has recommended that schools across the country develop contingency plans for school dismissals and closures, as well as the continuation of classes online."

ASBO members who would like to discuss this topic with their peers may find this thread on the Global School Business Network helpful.