WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema called for increased funding for Arizona’s K-12 public schools to help health and education officials develop coronavirus guidelines, precautions, and restrictions so Arizona students can safely return to schools.
“Arizona parents and educators face uncertainty as classes resume during the ongoing pandemic. Our schools need support to ensure Arizona students can safely learn and teachers can continue doing their jobs without fear for their health and safety,” said Sinema.
Sinema called for additional funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Relief Fund in any future coronavirus relief package. The CARES Act provided critical education funding, but more is needed to help cover the additional costs from this school year while also ensuring that schools nationwide will be ready to safely reopen in the fall. K-12 schools are facing added expenses this year amidst budget cuts and declining state and local revenue.
Sinema has previously called on the U.S. Departments of Interior and Education to distribute the already-approved $222 million CARES Act funding to support Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, Sinema helped introduce the Emergency Educational Connections Act—legislation that provides $4 billion in federal support for tribal schools and libraries to provide Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and internet-enabled devices (as well as internet service through such equipment) to students, staff, and patrons.
Sinema has also added a resources page to her website, www.sinema.senate.gov/corona, for Arizonans looking for the latest information on coronavirus.
