From the US Department of Education Office of Non-Public Education notice on January 15:
Dear Non-Public School Colleagues,
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) has released Frequently Asked Questions – Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) Program
The purpose of this document is to answer Frequently Asked Questions related to the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act). Congress authorized the EANS program as part of the CRRSA Act’s Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER Fund under the CRRSA Act). Please note that while Governors apply for EANS funds, the statute requires that State educational agencies (SEAs) administer the program; consequently, in accepting an EANS award from the Department, a Governor automatically designates the SEA to administer the EANS program.
The purpose of the EANS program is to provide services or assistance to eligible non-public schools to address educational disruptions caused by COVID-19. By creating a separate reservation of funds for this purpose, Congress reiterated the need for non-public schools to participate in emergency education relief programs by establishing a separate program under GEER, rather than relying on the equitable services requirements that typically apply to elementary and secondary formula grant programs. Consequently, LEAs are not required to provide equitable services with funds received under the CRRSA Act, though equitable services requirements continue to apply to CARES Act (GEER and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief/ESSER) programs.
The Department also published an EANS Sample Application Template that SEAs may consider employing or using in the development of their State application.
As noted in the FAQs, an SEA must distribute information about the EANS program promptly to non-public schools in the State.
Additional Information
The Department has developed a webpage for the EANS program. The following are items included on the EANS webpage for your information.
