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.

Read the analysis.