Texas leaders recently announced the release of approximately $11 billion in federal assistance funding to assist public schools throughout the state.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) said that these funds from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act will be used to help learning recovery efforts across the state for the next three years, according to KVUE News. Under federal rules, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) must make two-thirds of the funds immediately available under grants. The remaining third can be distributed contingent upon approval by the U.S. Department of Education.
"This will ensure that Texas public schools have the necessary resources to help Texas students recover from learning loss related to #COVID19," Abbott wrote in an April 28 Twitter post.
This funding is in addition to the approximately $2.2 billion in federal funding the state has already receive to help Texas public schools respond to the COVID-19 health crisis, KTRE News reported. The state has also been allocated $5 billion in additional funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation (CRRSA) Act for public education.
“These additional federal funds now will allow educators to help our students recover from the negative impact of long months out of the classroom,” Patrick said, according to KTRE News. "My goal is to ensure that Texas schools — like the rest of our state — come back stronger than ever."
The state will also continue to offer assistance to schools as districts return to in-person learning. Support includes not holding districts accountable for decreases in enrollment, reimbursement for COVID-19 related costs incurred during the spring 2020 semester and funding for learning devices through Operation Connectivity.
"These resources will help close the gap for our students who have fallen behind as a result of COVID-19," Phelan said, according to KTRE News. "Now more than ever, our state must work in unison to ensure our students remain competitive and have the tools they need to succeed. Texas is committed to our children and our public education system, and these funds and our efforts this session will underscore that commitment."
Some funding is still being held up, however, as Democrats recently called on Abbott to disburse $17.9 billion in additional federal funding intended for Texas school districts, reported The Texas Tribune.
State leaders said that delays are a result of requirements that the state has to invest an extra $1 billion in higher education to unlock funding for K-12.
State officials are pursuing a waiver to bypass the higher education funding requirement.