Eligibility

Eligible applicants:  LEAs.

An LEA is eligible for Project SAFE if it:

(a) Has adopted a policy to implement and is implementing one or more of the following strategies as recommended in the CDC’s most recent Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools, as may be updated. The most recent guidance incorporates the following strategies:

(i) Promoting vaccination;

(ii) Consistent and correct mask use;

(iii) Physical distancing;

(iv) Screening testing to promptly identify cases, clusters, and outbreaks;

(v) Ventilation;

(vi) Handwashing and respiratory etiquette;

(vii) Staying home when sick and getting tested;

(viii) Contact tracing, in combination with isolation and quarantine; and

(ix) Cleaning and disinfection;

(b) Has incurred or will incur a financial penalty imposed by its SEA or other State entity, such as a reduction in funding, including but not limited to reduction in salaries for school board members or superintendents, due to implementation of one or more strategies described in paragraph (a); and

(c) To protect the safety and well-being of students, has continued at the time of application to implement such strategy or strategies for which the penalty was imposed and commits to maintain such strategy or strategies to the extent consistent with CDC guidance for the 2021-2022 school year.