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He said they got about $59,000 from the CARES Act, but schools had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars extra so the district is now counting on the new COVID-19 relief funding. The House of Representatives is expected to pass the relief bill this week. It devotes billions of dollars to education.
Streicher’s district spent the CARES money on everything from Chromebooks to support remote learning, PPE and cleaning supplies. They also had to hire a health aide and a guidance counselor to help with mental health support.
The costs don’t just stop with PPE and sanitization. Another Illinois superintendent reported his district spent $600,000 extra dollars just on staffing because of COVID-19. Schools have paid more for transportation, too. Reopening in-person with proper safety measures has cost some districts millions. Even smaller school districts like Somonauk have spent hundreds of thousands more than in a typical year.