Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) announced that schools within the 52nd District would receive approximately $128 million in additional funding to help address the challenges posed during the year-long pandemic | Facebook
Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) announced that schools within the 52nd District would receive approximately $128 million in additional funding to help address the challenges posed during the year-long pandemic | Facebook
Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) said that schools within the 52nd District would receive approximately $128 million in additional funding to help address the challenges posed during the yearlong pandemic.
The funding is part of the federal government's latest COVID-19 stimulus relief funds.
"This has been a tough year for everyone," Bennett said in a statement March 31. "This funding will help our students and schools move forward now that the end of the pandemic is near,"
Most of the funds come from the American rescue plan, giving local schools more flexibility in using the money for the next 3 1/2 years.
While at least 20% of these funds must be used to cope with learning losses during the pandemic, schools may otherwise use the money to address a wide variety of issues and costs.
The largest financial award, $45.5 million, will go to Community Consolidated School District 118. The Gifford Community Consolidated School District will receive $255,934, the smallest amount.
The State Board of Education has worked with other state educational institutions to develop guidelines for local school districts to help them decide how to make the most of their resources, however, the guidelines and other state-sponsored services are entirely voluntary.
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