DeVos Loses Fight to Split Public School CARES $$ with Private Schools
Betsy DeVos lost the biggest fight of her tenure as Secretary of Education. Federal judges consistently rejected her legally binding rule requiring states to give private schools a share of the $13 billion Congress allocated for public schools and for needy students in private schools. DeVos wanted private schools to get a share of the federal money without regard to the need of their students. The judges said no.
After fighting for her position, DeVos admitted defeat and decided not to appeal the court decisions.
Some states have already given federal funds to private schools, using DeVos’ formula, and it is not clear whether that money will be clawed back.
Charter schools also received a share of the $13 billion in CARES funds, which they qualified for as “public schools.” Many charter and private schools also applied for and received millions of dollars from the Paycheck Protection Program (public schools were not eligible for PPP). A study by Good Jobs Inc. determined that charter and private schools obtained SIX TIMES as much federal relief money as public schools.
DeVos Loses Fight to Split Public School CARES $$ with Private Schools | Diane Ravitch's blog
