Feds reinstate $33 million for Virginia schools

ThisstorywasreportedandwrittenbyourmediapartnertheVirginiaMercury. Virginiaandotherstateswillregaintheabilitytouse$33millioninemergencyrelieffunds,afterthefederalgovernmentlastweekreversedcourseonaMarchdecisionthatprohibitedthemfromusingthefunds. U.S.SecretaryofEducationLindaMcMahonabruptlyacceleratedthedeadlineforschoolstospendallallocatedfundsonMarch28,leavingschoolsscramblingtomakeplansforthemoney. McMahonannouncedtherescissionofthatpolicyinaJune26lettertochiefstateschoolofficers,afterseveralstatessuedtheagencyintheSouthernDistrictofNewYork,leadingtoinjunctionsthatpreventedtheDOEfromenforcingitspolicy.Virginiawasnotoneofthosestatesinvolvedinthelitigation,butitsstateeducationagencydidfileappealswithDOE. TheVirginiaDepartmentofEducationsaidDOE’sannouncementwillunlockatotalof$52millionforVirginia,including$26.3millionforstate-levelprojectsand$25.7millionforschoolprojects.Thestateeducationdepartmentpreviouslyreceivedanextensionfor$18mill