Schools, colleges, early childhood hit by coronavirus could get help under Murray plan

Sen. Patty Murray and other Democrats said Friday they will push a $3 billion plan to help schools, early childhood programs and colleges and universities — and their students — hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.

Murray, D-Washington, is the top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Her plan, co-sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York.

Congressional negotiators and the White House are working on an aid package and details are expected to be unveiled Friday afternoon. The Murray proposal is unlikely to be part of that package, but senators expect other action to stem the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

Her plan, which would spend the money over two years, would provide:

▪ $1.2 billion for Education Preparedness and Support Grants to governors. The money would help school districts or institutions of higher education affected by qualifying emergencies such as the COVID-19 outbreak.

The money could be used to help schools plan closures. It could also be used to plan how to provide meals to students, clean and sanitize facilities, train personnel on how to be sure buildings are safe when students return, and provide other services.

▪ $600 million to help early childhood education programs with emergency staffing needs and cleaning and sanitizing facilities.

▪ $1.2 billion to provide emergency financial aid for college students needing food, housing, health care and child care after abrupt school closings.

▪ $3 million for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network to help deal with stress and mental health needs that have arisen during the coronavirus outbreak.

The bill would also provide what a fact sheet described as “new flexibility for students and institutions of higher education to ensure continued access to federal financial aid to help remove the financial stress associated with a temporary leave of absence related to COVID19.”

Students would be exempted from repaying Pell Grants or student loans taken out for a disrupted term by providing a temporary waiver of certain rules.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Schools, colleges, early childhood hit by coronavirus could get help under Murray plan."