Georgia Department of Education Selects ClassWallet

Company’s digital wallet and accounts payable platform being used to track, report and facilitate distribution of $112 million in additional funding programs

MIAMI and ATLANTA, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Georgia Department of Education has selected ClassWallet’s digital wallet and accounts payable technology to track, report and facilitate distribution of $112 million in federal and state funds for several programs benefitting public and non-public schools, preschools, K-12 and preschool teachers and families in Georgia.

ClassWallet is the leading digital wallet solution in the education market used in 27 states and 19 state agencies across 6,200 schools serving 4.1 million students.

In April, the state renewed its agreement with ClassWallet in respect of $71 million in funds from the Federal Government’s American Rescue Plan Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS II) program to help non-public schools address the educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ClassWallet was previously contracted to support Georgia’s $79 million EANS I program.

Additional Georgia programs engaging ClassWallet technology include:

• $15 million in the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds for K-12 teacher stipends. The stipends will provide all K-12 teachers with $125 for classroom supplies and materials.
• $10 million in GEER funds to families of special education students reimbursing parents up to $500 for expenses incurred while schools were closed due to the pandemic. Allowable expenses include tutoring, therapy, curriculum support and fidget devices.
• $3.9 million in Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for preschool teacher stipends of $125 to be used for classroom supplies and materials.
• $12.9 million in DECAL funds for preschools for use by support staff in purchasing COVID-19 test kits and related cleaning, protection, remediation and other supplies.

“ClassWallet is being used to efficiently distribute funds from multiple sources— EANS, GEER, ESSER and DECAL in a single streamlined platform,” said Jamie Rosenberg, CEO, ClassWallet. “This is a bold move from Georgia to efficiently and effectively deliver over $100 million to a broad range of recipients including pre-K and K-12 students, families of special ed students and some 160,000 public school teachers.”

ClassWallet provides eligible schools, teachers, support staff and families with digital wallets which provide them with access to an integrated e-commerce marketplace with reputable national, regional and local education resource providers such as Staples, Office Depot, Scholastic, School Specialty and Really Good Stuff. Authorized users on the ClassWallet e-commerce platform can order the materials they need without the need to lay out cash, collect receipts or submit expense reports since all reporting and documentation is handled through the platform. For purchases made outside of the e-commerce marketplace, such as in brick-and-mortar establishments or with service providers, ClassWallet enables users to submit receipts and invoices for review. When approved, the platform automates an ACH direct deposit reimbursement or payment.

“In addition to providing a turnkey and reliable accounts payable automation platform, the team at ClassWallet was very supportive in helping us secure a hard-to-find vendor of COVID tests,” said Rian Ringsrud, deputy commissioner for finance and administration, DECAL. “This partnership offers significant value to our program by helping us to navigate and administer the grant-funding ecosystem.”