Biden's plan calls for $130 billion in funds to provide flexible resources for K-12 schools to reopen or provide distance learning. Much of the rest of the money would go to help colleges dealing with the shift to distance learning and other pandemic-related problems, according to The New York Times. The funds could be used to:

Reduce class sizes and modify spaces so students and teachers can socially distance;
Improve ventilation;
Hire more janitors and implement mitigation measures;
Provide personal protective equipment;
Ensure every school has access to a nurse;
Increase transportation capacity to facilitate social distancing on the bus;
Hire counselors to support students as they transition back to the classroom;
Close the digital divide that is exacerbating inequities during the pandemic;
Provide summer school or other support for students that will help make up lost learning time this year;
Create and expand community schools; and
Cover other costs needed to support safely reopening and support students.

Biden said his plan will include emergency funding for essential workers, including teachers, and will allow schools to access Federal Emergency Management Administration resources to reimburse certain COVID-19 expenses. It will also provide $50 billion for a "massive expansion" of COVID-19 testing, which will "support schools and local governments implement regular testing protocols," that support safely reopening schools.

Instant Insights /

Biden's COVID-19 relief plan includes $40B for higher ed

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