Extension of 2021-2022 COVID-19 School Health Support Grant

Grant Extension

The 2021–2022 COVID-19 School Health Support Grant end date has been extended. The new grant end date is March 31, 2023. Current grantees have been sent an amended notice of grant award (NOGA) reflecting this no-cost extension.

Impact and Further Action

1. Grantees that have already received payment of grant funds can continue to amend and make modifications to planned allowable activities or budgeted costs. For this grant program, current grantees will continue to use the Amendment Link to submit amendments for approval. All amendments are subject to negotiation and must adhere to the original grant program's guidelines, regulations, provisions, and assurances.
2. Grantees that have received a NOGA but have not yet been approved for and received a grant payment will receive new grant application instructions to amend their applications and address the next steps later this summer. These grantees will be transitioned into a standard grant application and request payments from the expenditure reporting (ER) system.

Background Information

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) received an $800 million grant from the federal government to support school-based COVID-19 screening testing activities intended to support open, in-person K-12 instruction. DSHS has partnered with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide these resources to Texas K-12 school systems to support items or activities aimed at implementing prevention and mitigation strategies necessary to curtail the spread of the virus.

The primary purpose of this grant is to support safe, in-person instruction in schools, from kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12), by establishing a screening testing program and by offering a grant opportunity to school systems for allowable support activities. The program provides services to students, teachers, and other school staff, including COVID-19 testing, primarily for screening and testing to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Approximately $221 million of the DSHS federal funding was allocated for eligible public and private school systems available for them to apply for and use for several allowable activities and services of funds, limited to:

1. Personal protective equipment (PPE) (including, but not limited to, masks, gloves, gowns, and face shields);
2. Hygiene and cleaning supplies;
3. Portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems or other small items that may allow for improved air circulation;
4. Public health events that include students and other community members and are aimed at providing opportunities for increased detection and prevention of COVID-19;
5. Vaccine promotion events and communications;
6. COVID-19 testing-test kits, turn-key testing services, and related support services;
7. Costs to obtain a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver; and
8. Partial funding for staff conducting grant-related duties for screening testing or COVID prevention programs outside the staff’s regular duties.

The grant funds must: 1) be used to meet the intent of this program as stated above; 2) be used for costs that are reasonable and necessary, and 3) meet an allowable activity. Grantees should not anticipate that ongoing replacement funds will be provided at either the federal or state level.

Revised Timeline

The following revised timeline provides public and private K-12 school systems with the tentative dates for this recently extended grant program:

Resources

Refer to the following web pages for additional information and resources: 

• School Health Support Grant 

• K-12 COVID-19 Testing Project

For Further Information

Please email COVIDCaseReport@tea.texas.gov with any questions or for additional grant program guidance.

Required Federal Funding Notice

This K-12 COVID-19 Testing Project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $800 million with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS.

The contents of this communication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the Center for Disease Control Center for Disease Control website.