Ed Dept backs off CARES grant eligibility guidance — sort of – Education Dive
A change in how the department is determining which students qualify for emergency aid has raised new questions.
The U.S. Department of Education says it will not enforce previous guidance limiting which students can receive federal emergency grants through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. It made the announcement Thursday evening in an update to its website.
But it’s unclear by how much the decision widens the pool of students who qualify for the money, financial aid experts say. The department’s update says its guidance is not legally binding — a nod to an executive order issued last year. Instead, it points to a section of the U.S. Code that prevents certain immigrants and non-U.S. residents, including unauthorized and international students, from receiving public support.
The department is “essentially trying to say we are not making up new policy here — you don’t have to follow our guidance because it’s guidance, but you have to follow other laws, and we are trying to help you do that,” said Julia Martin, legislative director at Brustein and Manasevit, a law firm in Washington, D.C.