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DDN Coronavirus: Schools, homeless in line for state assistance

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Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News

Ohio’s colleges and K-12 schools are in line for millions of dollars to help them safely reopen in the fall, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Thursday.

He announced a bipartisan agreement with legislative leaders to ask the State Controlling Board on Monday to authorize spending $200 million for higher education institutions and $100 million for K-12 schools. The money, which would come from the state’s share of federal coronavirus relief funds, would be available to both public and private colleges and schools to assist with all aspects of reopening safely, he said.

DeWine also announced guidelines for colleges to reopen and said they will have to implement a coronavirus testing plan and guidance on isolating students and staff who are showing symptoms of the virus.

“Today (DeWine) has announced a well-reasoned approach to safely opening higher education institutions to quality, in-person education this fall,” said Bruce Johnson, president of the Inter-University Council. “We appreciate his commitment to assisting our institutions with the enormous financial challenge associated with ensuring that our students, faculty and staff are safe.”

The money would be in addition to the federal CARES Act’s direct funding of $440 million for K-12 and $190 million for higher education, DeWine said.