| Dear Partner in Education,
At 5:03 p.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) notified states that it was “modifying the liquidation period” of COVID relief funds previously approved for extended liquidation through March 2026. According to the letter, which you can read here, the extended liquidation period ended at 5 p.m. on March 28, 2025.
In the March 28, 2025 letter, USDE notes it will consider additional extensions on a project-specific basis. At the Pennsylvania Department of Education, we are actively working to gain a better understanding of what needs to happen at the state and school level to ensure that all COVID relief funds promised to Pennsylvania are reimbursed appropriately.
In the meantime, impacted LEAs are advised to pause any work that continues under remaining COVID relief funds, because there is no guarantee of reimbursement. PDE will provide additional guidance to LEAs impacted by USDE’s pivot.
To be clear, these are COVID relief funds that states and schools have already committed or spent to help students recover from the effects of the pandemic – and for which we had been promised reimbursement. As such, we are reviewing and considering all legal options in response to USDE’s March 28 notification and will continue to stay in close communication as we gain more clarity on the latest federal policy shift.
Please continue to work closely with your professional education associations to inform them about how these federal actions are impacting your school communities.
Thank you for all that you do on behalf of Pennsylvania’s schools, libraries, learners, and communities.
Carrie Rowe, Ed.D. | Acting Secretary
Pennsylvania Department of Education |
