FLORIDA LENT LAPTOPS TO THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS. DO THEY KNOW HOW TO USE THEM?

From Tampa Bay Times

By Marlene Sokol
Published Apr. 18

TAMPA — Schools spent a fortune on laptop computers in the early weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown, hoping to level the playing field for home learning.

But teachers say the strategy has revealed something surprising: Students of all ages, including those in elite high school programs, are struggling with simple tasks like uploading a photo or creating a Word document. These gaps had gone largely undiagnosed in many of their classrooms. READ MORE

SECRETARY DEVOS ANNOUNCES $3 BILLION IN EMERGENCY EDUCATION BLOCK GRANTS FOR GOVERNORS

Encourages them to focus the funding on continuing education for students of all ages

From the Department of Education

April 14, 2020

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today that nearly $3 billion will quickly be made available to governors to ensure education continues for students of all ages impacted by the coronavirus national emergency. The Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is an extraordinarily flexible "emergency block grant" designed to enable governors to decide how best to meet the needs of students, schools (including charter schools and non-public schools), postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations. READ MORE

BY APPLYING FOR FEDERAL WAIVERS, STATES CAN SHAKE LOOSE GRANT FUNDING TO HELP SCHOOLS DURING THE PANDEMIC. HERE’S HOW-

From The 74
By Alex Medler   April 13, 2020

Schools face unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 emergency, including the costs of transitioning from in-person instruction to distance learning. The U.S. Department of Education’s Charter School Program could provide more resources through new strategies during the emergency, including granting waivers, adjusting current grant awards and establishing new state-level support structures. READ MORE

RON DESANTIS TO ASSEMBLE TASK FORCE ON REOPENING FLORIDA AMID PANDEMIC

From FLAPOL
By Renzo Downey April 15, 2020

Gov. Ron DeSantis will announce a task force, likely this week, exploring what phase two of the state’s COVID-19 response will look like as the coronavirus pandemic continues. That task force will work on solutions for the economy, education, quality of life and physical and mental health. READ MORE