Alabama Governor Kay Ivey awarded $70 million to support the Alabama State Department of Education’s (ALSDE) Education Health and Wellness Grant Program and $100 million to support the Educational Remote Learning Devices Grant Program.

“COVID-19 greatly impacted delivery of instruction within our public schools and, in many cases, exposed our weakest areas of remote learning capabilities,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “I appreciate Dr. Mackey’s plan that will provide our students the ability to continue learning despite the unprecedented circumstances. These funds will allow local schools to be flexible to meet the unique needs of their students while keeping them as safe as possible.”

The Education Health and Wellness Grant Program will provide $70 million directly to local education agencies for the sole purpose of minimizing the exposure and spread of COVID-19 in Alabama’s public-school system. Local education agencies may only use the grant funds to:

1. Fund salaries or wages for health care professionals or aides to provide COVID-19 response or care,
2. to contract for specimen collection and testing of COVID-19,
3. temporary facility improvements and supplies for nurses’ work areas for COVID-19 response,
4. the creation of isolation areas for symptomatic students,
5. screening equipment to check body temperature,
6. and modification of school transportation vehicles to mitigate or isolate the spread of COVID-19.

Alabama Act 2020-199 designated up to $300 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund to be used for expenditures related to technology and infrastructure related to remote instruction and learning. The Educational Remote Learning Devices Grant Program will provide $100 million directly to local education agencies to fund the purchase of electronic devices and software and related training and maintenance services, for the purpose of facilitating remote virtual learning and the overall continuity of learning in Alabama’s public school system as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each local education agency applying for reimbursement under the Education Remote Learning Devices Grant Program, prior to expending funds, must provide the Alabama State Department of Education:

1. a remote learning plan compatible with the devices to be purchased,
2. information to ensure teachers and instructors are proficient with the operations of the device including technical support,
3. a plan developed by each school to ensure each student has access or availability to the internet, and a plan for maintenance of the devices, including software updates, physical repairs, and replacement of lost and damaged devices.

Funds will be awarded to local education agencies based on a formula that accounts for student enrollment, poverty levels, special education students, English learner students, student proficiency levels and the impact of COVID-19. All local education agencies will receive a minimum of $70,000 from the Education Health and Wellness Grant Program in addition to the amount determined by the formula. All local education agencies will receive a minimum of $100,000 from the Education Remote Learning Devices Grant Program in addition to the amount determined by the formula.