evidence: The U.S. Department of Education (Department) issues this interim final rule to clarify the requirement in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) that local educational agencies (LEAs) provide equitable services to students and teachers in non-public schools under the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER Fund) and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund) (collectively, the CARES Act programs). [...] The CARES Act authorizes new Federal education programs to "prevent, prepare for, and respond to" COVID-19. Three of those programs—the GEER Fund (section 18002(c)(1), (3)), the ESSER Fund formula grants to LEAs (section 18003(c)), and the ESSER State educational agency (SEA) Reserve (section 18003(e))—make funds potentially available to LEAs. [...] DOE will accept comments regarding this NOPR on or before July 31, 2020. See the section entitled "Public Participation" for details.