3 things to know about Trump's plan for reopening schools
Trump wants $105 billion for schools, conditions some upon reopening
President Trump also called on Congress to include $105 billion in funding to schools as part of the next coronavirus relief bill.
He said $70 billion of that amount would support K-12 schools as they worked to implement “mitigation measures,” including “smaller class sizes, more teachers and teachers’ aides, repurposing spaces to practice social distancing, and crucially, mask-wearing.”
According to a White House statement released Thursday, “approximately $35 billion of the $70 billion will be reserved for schools that reopen.”
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The White House also encouraged schools to “innovate and employ creative methods — such as flexible schedules, cohorting, and master teaching — to keep kids safe.”
Some of the money would be given to parents looking to explore alternative schooling options for their children if their assigned public schools do not reopen. According to Trump, another object of this funding is to provide parents with “choice.”
“If schools do not reopen, the funding should go to parents to send their child to public, private, charter, religious, or homeschool of their choice,” Trump said. “If the school is closed, the money should follow the student.”
Trump noted that the $105 billion in taxpayer funding will be in addition to the $30 billion already appropriated by Congress to American schools and universities earlier this year.
“That money we have; some is distributed, and some is not distributed,” he said.
