WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today career and technical education (CTE) programs can donate or loan personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies purchased with federal funds to public health agencies, private nonprofit hospitals, and other licensed health providers to support the nationwide coronavirus response effort. This new flexibility guidance comes in response to a desire from state and local educators to donate their unused equipment during the COVID-19 National Emergency.

"We are all fighting coronavirus together, and each of us is looking for ways we can contribute to defeating this invisible enemy," said Secretary DeVos. "After hearing from educators about their desire to contribute to this fight, it was a no-brainer to cut through the red tape and provide them the flexibility needed to donate valuable medical equipment to our brave medical professionals on the front lines."

Many CTE programs purchase PPE and other supplies and equipment through funds awarded by federal grants for use in hands-on learning opportunities in various medical fields of study. Examples of equipment currently not needed for learning activities that can be donated or loaned under the new flexibility offered by the Department include gloves, masks, face shields, gowns, ventilators, and three-dimensional printers.

Additional details about equipment donations and loans can be found here.

For more information on the Department's response to the COVID-19 national emergency, visit ed.gov/coronavirus.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the following websites: coronavirus.gov, cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html and usa.gov/coronavirus.