For more information, contact: Collin Roth | WILL Director of Communication [email protected] | 414-607-2558 WILL Files Amicus in National Legal Fight Over CARES Act Relief for Private Schools WILL leads coalition of 38 state and national groups advocating for private schools The News: The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed an amicus brief Wednesday in Michigan v. DeVos, a critical legal dispute in federal court between a group of state attorneys general and the federal Education Department over the availability of CARES Act funding for private schools. WILL is leading a coalition of 38 state and national groups representing the interests of private schools and parental choice. The Quote: Director and Legal Counsel of Education Policy Libby Sobic said, “COVID-19’s impact on America’s students was not confined to public school sectors. Congress allocated critical funding to both public and private schools with the intent of helping schools reopen safely and serve their students. We are proud to represent a broad coalition of groups that recognize the importance of CARES Act relief for America’s private schools.” Background: The $2.2 trillion federal CARES Act, passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, included an Education Stabilization Fund to support schools with the costs of safely reopening and navigating the crisis. The law directed the Department of Education to distribute these funds “equitably” between public and private schools and students but did not dictate exactly how the funds should be distributed. On June 25, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued an interim final rule that gives states and local public-school districts options for how to fairly allocate CARES Act relief to private schools. Many states and local school districts refused to follow the rule. Nine attorneys general and four metropolitan school districts, including Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, filed a multi-state federal lawsuit against the Education Department challenging the interim final rule and argued that the majority of the funding should be directed to public schools. WILL’s Amicus: WILL’s amicus, on behalf of 38 state and national groups, represents the important interests of America’s private schools in this critical debate. COVID-19’s impact on education was not restricted to public schools. With more than 5 million students attending 33,000 schools, WILL and our coalition partners make clear that federal CARES Act relief is critical for the safety and education of the nearly 10% of American students attending private schools. WILL’s amicus is joined by associations and advocacy groups that represent and support private schools and their families in Wisconsin, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and throughout the nation, that serve Catholic, Orthodox Jewish, Islamic, Lutheran, other Christian, and independent secular schools, and that collectively educate millions of students: Council for American Private Education National Catholic Educational Association Agudath Israel of America Council of Islamic Schools in North America Association of Christian Schools International Association of Christian Teachers and Schools WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools Wisconsin Catholic Conference School Choice Wisconsin Action California Catholic Conference Michigan Catholic Conference Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools Pennsylvania Catholic Conference Pennsylvania Affiliate of the Council for American Private Education American Federation for Children Foundation for Excellence in Education, Inc. EdChoice Catholic Education Partners Liberty Justice Center Mackinac Center for Public Policy Great Lakes Education Foundation Rio Grande Foundation Buckeye Institute Commonwealth Foundation School Choice Wisconsin Colorado Catholic Conference Colorado Association of Private Schools Indiana Non-Public Education Association Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Catholic Conference of Oklahoma Texas Private Schools Association Goldwater Institute James Madison Institute Mississippi Center for Public Policy Nevada Policy Research Institute Roughrider Policy Center Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity Read More: Amicus Brief, July 29, 2020 "Coronavirus Doesn't Discriminate, But Bureaucrats Do," Libby Sobic, July 10, 2020 "Is DPI Leaving Private Schools Out in the Cold?" Libby Sobic, June 1, 2020 ‌ ‌ ‌ Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty | 330 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 725, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!