Plugged In To Education

March 23, 2021

Coverage of updates in lower education, higher education & human services.

What’s Inside Plugged In To Education

  • ConnectED NY Fund Announced to Provide No-Cost Internet Access for Students in Economically Disadvantaged School Districts
  • Governor Cuomo Announces Award of $50.7 Million to Enhance Addiction Services in New York State
  • Empire Pandemic Grant Program Created to Support Essential Workers and First Responders
  • Higher Education Capital (HECap) Recipients Announced
  • USDA Increases SNAP Benefits Up To $100 Per Household with Funding from American Rescue Plan
  • Court Affirms Repeal of Religious Exemption for Measles Vaccinations
  • Board of Regents Acts on Emergency Regulation Revisions to 2021 Diploma Requirements
  • New COVID-19 Guidance
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Coming Up 

ConnectED NY Fund Announced to Provide No-Cost Internet Access for Students in Economically Disadvantaged School Districts

Governor Cuomo and the Reimagine New York Commission announced the launch of ConnectED NY, an emergency fund to provide approximately 50,000 students in economically disadvantaged school districts with free internet access through June 2022. Funding will be provided by Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation and the program will be managed by Digital Promise, a non-profit which is dedicated to closing the digital learning gap. The program will serve students in the most economically-disadvantaged school districts, defined as school districts where the percent of students that are economically disadvantaged exceeds the state average.

Governor Cuomo Announces Award of $50.7 Million to Enhance Addiction Services in New York State

Governor Cuomo announced that up to $50.7 million will be awarded to providers throughout New York State to expand access to addiction services. The majority of this funding will go towards regional networks designed to support a continuum of care that includes prevention, treatment and recovery. This funding is part of the State Opioid Response federally supported grant administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports.

Empire Pandemic Grant Program Created to Support Essential Workers and First Responders

Earlier this month, Governor Cuomo announced $29 million is available to support essential workers and first responders through the Empire Pandemic Response Reimbursement Fund program coordinated by the Office of Children and Family Services. The program is designed to reimburse out-of-pocket childcare, transportation, lodging and other qualifying expenses that enabled workers to perform their duties. The funding comes from private donations from individuals, charitable trusts and businesses made during the COVID crisis. Qualifying applicants include first responders, health care, and many multi-industry workers. Up to $1,000 is available per household. Workers should be referred by employers, unions or social service providers who can verify employment during the COVID emergency. Families who earn up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level – or $125,470 for a family of four – are eligible to apply for the funds to cover expenses.

Higher Education Capital (HECap) Recipients Announced

Capital projects totaling $57 million at 35 colleges and universities across New York State have been approved for the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program. HECap awards support projects that provide increased training in health sciences through construction of new laboratory and research spaces, the purchase of new instructional technologies and medical equipment, and a variety of other capital investments and improvements.

USDA Increases SNAP Benefits Up To $100 Per Household with Funding from American Rescue Plan

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a 15 percent increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through September 2021, providing an estimated $3.5 billion to households experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is made possible by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

Court Affirms Repeal of Religious Exemption for Measles Vaccinations

Parents who wished to opt out of vaccinating their children for measles under a former exemption on religious grounds lost their appeal Thursday at the state’s second-highest court. Appellate justices in Albany unanimously upheld the state’s 2019 elimination of the exemption and a lower ruling by acting Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman, which was rendered just months before the COVID-19 pandemic exploded in New York.

Board of Regents Acts on Emergency Regulation Revisions to 2021 Diploma Requirements

Earlier this month, the Board of Regents acted on a series of emergency regulations to allow for exemptions to diploma requirements associated with the June 2021 and August 2021 Regents Examination administrations. These include actions to cancel the August 2021 Regents Exams and, should the U.S. Department of Education deny the Department’s waiver request, only four of the June 2021 Regents Exams will be administered; only Session 1 of the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Math Tests will be required; and only the one-session Written Test component of the Grades 4 and 8 Science Tests will be administered.

 

New COVID-19 Guidance

Lower Ed

Higher Ed

DOH

OPWDD

CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance on Friday suggesting 3 feet of social distancing would be safe at elementary, middle and high schools in communities with low, moderate or significant transmission. The 6-feet rule will remain for middle and high school students in communities with positivity rates of 10 percent or higher.

Funding Opportunities

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is making up to $3.7 million in funding available under the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant (AEG-2) to increase employment opportunities for approximately 800 apprentices with a focus on underrepresented populations. Due March 26, 2021

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) announced a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II and Welfare Education Program to provide adult education and literacy services to assist out-of-school youth and adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency and assist these individuals in the completion of a secondary school education. Due March 30, 2021

The Department of State seeks to create the New York State Professional Pathways for High-Skilled Immigrants program to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting New York’s low-income immigrant population who received higher education abroad to pursue employment that matches their previous education and experience. Due March 31, 2021

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) is seeking qualified organizations that meet the criteria of a Settlement House, an independent, voluntary, not-for-profit organization engaged in community work and social services delivery in a defined neighborhood, in a municipality of the State of New York. Due April 9, 2021

The NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) is providing funding to support target hardening activities to nonprofit that are at high risk of terrorist attack through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Nonprofit organizations may apply for up to $150,000 per site, for up to three (3) sites, for a maximum award of $450,000 per organization. Due April 15, 2021

The New York State Office for New Americans is seeking approximately 21 partner organizations located throughout New York State with significant concentrations of low-income immigrants and refugees to establish a network of neighborhood-based ESOL Opportunity Centers where immigrants will be supported through opportunities to learn English as well as provided information to help navigate their communities. Due April 21, 2021

The NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs (Justice Center) invites proposals from not-for-profit providers for the operation of the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) Program throughout 12 regions of the State as identified in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to will improve access to assistive technology for New Yorkers with disabilities. Due April 22, 2021

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (NYSDOH AI), Division of HIV & Hepatitis Health Care, Bureau of Community Support Services and Health Research, Inc. (HRI) announce the availability of $2,514,252 annually in New York State (NYS) and federal funding for five years to provide legal services for individuals and families to support continuity in HIV care. Due April 29, 2021

The State Education Department will competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible School Food Authorities (SFA) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). These funds will allow SFAs to purchase equipment to serve healthier meals that meet the updated meal patterns, with emphasis on more fruits and vegetables in school meals; improved safety; and expanded access.

The State Education Department is looking to develop, implement, and share innovative programs that utilize learning technologies to personalize learning and/or increase access to high-quality, rigorous learning experiences (such as through online, distance, or blended learning), as well as professional development programs to assist teachers and educational leaders in effectively utilizing learning technology to enhance teaching and learning through a Learning Technology Grant. Public school districts and consortia of districts or district(s) and BOCES are eligible to apply. Due May 10, 2021

The Office of Mental Health (OMH) announces the availability of funds for the procurement of contracted mental health service: ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), telepsychiatry, and teletherapy for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) in New York State that are accepting OMH patients meeting criteria for SNF level of care and are ready for discharge to an SNF. Due May 10, 2021

Coming Up

The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on April 12 & 13.

The Senate will hold a public hearing on diversifying agriculture and addressing food justice alongside continuing inequalities in our food systems on April 7.

The following State Boards are scheduled to meet:

  • Clinical Laboratory Technology Education Committee: April 22, 2021 (WebEx Meeting)

Pathologists’ Assistants: March 25, 2021 (WebEx Meeting)

Plugged In to Education is prepared by Hinman Straub P.C. and is intended to keep our clients informed about news and Legislative and regulatory developments that may affect or otherwise be of interest to them. The comments contained herein do not constitute legal opinion and should not be regarded as a substitute for legal advice. If you prefer not to receive these updates, please alert us so we may remove you from our distribution list. © Hinman Straub P.C. 2020. All rights reserved.