Gov. Cox Reverts Unspent ARP to GEER to Cover School Lunch Debt

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Gov. Spencer J. Cox has redirected $1.2 million of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) funds to the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Program (GEER), creating a new grant in the Utah Grants system. This grant permits local education agencies to apply for reimbursement of school lunch debt attributable to low-income families. 

“Our students are the future of Utah, and investing in their health and education is vital to the success of our state,” said Gov. Cox. “We are committed to ensuring Utah students receive the meals they need. I am grateful for the cooperation of the State Board of Education, our schools and districts.”

The ARP Act of 2021 allocated awards to governors under the EANS program to provide services to eligible non-public schools to address the impact of COVID-19. ARP provided the authority to revert unobligated EANS funds to the GEER.