A bill President Trump signed into law yesterday is an important step in the right direction to provide relief during this difficult time, but the education community wants Congress to go further to provide families with immediate financial support and regulatory relief.
The bill signed yesterday makes it easier for students who typically receive school meals to get access to food and extends sick leave and family leave protections to government employees, including public school teachers.
The National Education Association is calling on members of Congress and the Trump administration to implement immediate financial support measures first, along with regulatory relief that students desperately need from the Department of Education. Among the top measures that NEA is advocating:
- Provide immediate stimulus checks to households
- Create a state stabilization fund to help prevent educator layoffs
- Expand guaranteed paid sick leave and family medical leaves
- Offer additional Medicaid funding to states
- Cancel student loan payments
- Address the “homework gap” for students without WiFi and devices
- Ensure comprehensive food assistance for students and their households
- Prevent housing instability and homelessness