Press Release
July 30, 2020
Education Provisions in the HEALS Act
Senate Republicans recently released their proposal for the next major COVID-19 response package, the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act. In a new analysis, AAF’s Tom Lee explains the two main education provisions in the bill: additional funding for education systems, and changes to federal student loan repayment options.
His central points:
- Under HEALS, states would receive an additional $70 billion to disburse to school districts, of which two thirds would be available only for school districts that have in-person classes;
- The average amount a school district would receive from both the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and HEALS funding could range from $2.3 to $5.0 million; and
- HEALS would revamp the federal student loan system by reducing the number of repayment options from nine to two.