,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ggdf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bc1 #bjbj,mr4 ,hill of ,arkansas 7for himself and ,mr4 ,gonzalez of ,ohio7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,education to establish a formula grant program to provide funds to assist educational agencies with expenses related to resuming educational activities during the #bjbj-bjba school year arising from the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short ,title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,helping ,educators with ,learning ,preparation ,act or the ,,help ,act4 #b4 ,providing funds to aid schools in reopening and resuming instruction in response to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj days after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary of ,education shall establish a grant program 7in this section referred to as the ,program7 to provide funds to ,states to assist local educational agencies with expenses related to reopening and resuming instruction during school year #bjbj-bjba arising from the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4 7b7 ,state allocations ,from the funds made available under subsection 7h7 for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 reserve three-quarters of #a percent for allotments for the outlying areas1 to be distributed among such outlying areas on the basis of their relative need1 as determined by the ,secretary1 in accordance with the purpose of the ,program2 7#b7 reserve one-half of #a percent for the ,secretary of the ,interior for schools operated or funded by the ,bureau of ,indian ,education1 to be distributed among such schools on the basis of their relative need1 as determined by the ,secretary of the ,interior1 in accordance with the purpose of the ,program2 and 7#c7 from the remaining funds1 allocate to each eligible ,state an amount equal to the sum of-- 7,a7 an amount that bears the same relationship to #bj percent of such funds as the number of individuals aged #e through #ag in the ,state1 as determined by the ,secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data1 bears to the number of those individuals in all such ,states1 as so determined2 and 7,b7 an amount that bears the same relationship to #hj percent of such funds as the number of individuals aged #e through #ag from families with incomes below the poverty line in the ,state1 as determined by the ,secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data1 bears to the number of those individuals in all such ,states1 as so determined4 7c7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,state use of funds 7,a7 ,subgrants to local educational agencies ,each ,state shall use not less than #ij percent of funds allocated to such ,state under subsection 7b7 to make subgrants to local educational agencies4 7,b7 ,allocation of funds to local educational agencies ,the amount of a subgrant under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be equal to the sum of-- 7i7 an amount that bears the same relationship to #bj percent of the funds to be used by a ,state for such subgrants as the number of individuals aged #e through #ag in the geographic area served by the local education agency1 as determined by the ,secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data1 bears to the number of those individuals in the geographic areas served by all eligible local educational agencies in the ,state1 as so determined2 and 7ii7 an amount that bears the same relationship to #hj percent of such funds as the number of individuals aged #e through #ag from families with incomes below the poverty line in the geographic area served by the local educational agency1 as determined by the ,secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data1 bears to the number of those individuals in the geographic areas served by all eligible local educational agencies in the ,state1 as so determined4 7,c7 ,state expenses ,from funds not otherwise allocated under this paragraph1 a ,state may reserve not more than #cj percent for administrative costs associated with the ,program and the remainder for providing technical assistance and other emergency services to local educational agencies in response to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 as the ,state determines appropriate1 including making grants or entering into contracts4 7#b7 ,local educational agency use of funds ,a local educational agency shall use funds received under the ,program to cover expenses related to reopening and resuming instruction during school year #bjbj-bjba1 including the following3 7,a7 ,educational technology 7including hardware1 software1 and connectivity7 for students that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors1 including low-income students and students with disabilities1 which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment4 7,b7 ,facility sanitization4 7,c7 ,personal protective equipment4 7,d7 ,school supplies4 7,e7 ,staffing4 7,f7 ,student transportation4 7,g7 ,other expenses necessary to maintain operations and continue services4 7d7 ,eligibility ,a ,state is eligible for funds under the ,program if such ,state submits an application not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this section in such form and containing such information and assurances 7including that such ,state shall submit a report on how subgrants made in accordance with the ,program were used7 as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7e7 ,reports 7#a7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #ad months after the date on which each ,state receiving funds under the ,program has obligated such funds1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report detailing-- 7,a7 the amount of funds awarded to each ,state1 and how such funds were used2 7,b7 the amount of each subgrant made by a ,state to a local educational agency1 and how such subgrant was used2 7,c7 the amount of funds reserved for each of the outlying areas1 and how such funds were used2 and 7,d7 the amount of funds reserved for the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs1 and how such funds were used1 on the basis of information reported by the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#b7 ,public availability of reports ,the ,secretary shall make the report required under this subsection publicly available4 7f7 ,timing requirements for grant administration 7#a7 ,application review ,not later than #cj days after the receipt of an application required under subsection 7d71 the ,secretary shall make a final determination regarding the acceptance or rejection of such application4 7#b7 ,award of funds ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall allocate1 in accordance with subsection 7b71 all funds made available under subsection 7h74 7g7 ,limitations on funds 7#a7 ,termination of funds availability ,a ,state receiving funds under the ,program may obligate and spend such funds until #a year after the date of receipt or until ,september #cj1 #bjba1 whichever comes last4 7#b7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,funds made available under the ,program shall be used to supplement1 and not supplant1 other ,federal1 ,state1 and local funds that would otherwise be expended to carry out activities under the ,program4 7h7 ,program funding 7#a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,to carry out the ,program1 there is authorized to be appropriated #be1jjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba4 7#b7 ,use of available funds ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 and in addition to amounts made available pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall use all funds made available to the ,secretary for any program or activity that remain unobligated as of ,september #cj1 #bjbj1 to carry out the ,program1 except that the ,secretary may not use funds appropriated pursuant to the ,coronavirus ,aid1 ,relief1 and ,economic ,security ,act4 7i7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the following definitions apply3 7#a7 ,local educational agency ,the term local educational agency has the meaning given such term in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja71 including the limitation in such section on receipt of funds under special programs for elementary or secondary schools funded by the ,bureau of ,indian ,education4 7#b7 ,outlying area ,the term outlying area means-- 7,a7 ,american ,samoa1 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 ,guam1 and the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 and 7,b7 notwithstanding section #aje7;f77#a77;,b77v7 of the ,compact of ,free ,association ,amendments ,act of #bjjc 7#dh ,u4,s4,c4 #aiba;d7f77#a77;,b77v77 and any other law1 the ,federated ,states of ,micronesia1 the ,republic of the ,marshall ,islands1 and the ,republic of ,palau4 7#c7 ,poverty line ,the term poverty line has the meaning given such term in such section #haja4 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7#e7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico4