Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act

Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act

This bill establishes and provides funds for grant programs to respond to safety and health risks presented by qualifying emergencies, including COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).

Specifically, the bill authorizes (1) the Department of Education (ED) to award grants to states and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and (2) the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to agencies that administer Child Care Development block grants and Head Start agencies.

ED grant recipients must award subgrants to BIE schools, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education (IHEs). HHS grant recipients must award subgrants to early care and education programs.

Subgrants under each grant program must be used for certain activities, such as coordinating preparedness and response efforts with public health departments; purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean facilities to minimize the spread of infectious diseases; and providing mental health services and supports to children, students, and staff.

Additionally, ED must award grants to IHEs for creating and expanding emergency financial-aid grant programs that address the unexpected expenses related to basic needs (e.g., housing, food, and certain one-time costs) of enrolled students during a qualifying emergency. IHEs must use grant funds to make emergency financial-aid grants to eligible students.

HHS must also award supplemental grants for certain organizations to address emergency-related child traumatic stress.

ED may waive certain financial-aid requirements for students affected by qualifying emergencies. Such requirements include those related to subsidized usage limits, Pell Grant duration limits, leaves of absence, and satisfactory progress.

The bill also authorizes ED to permit foreign IHEs to offer distance education during an emergency. No such program may be deemed ineligible.