Iowa schools to get $775 million in federal COVID relief

(Des Moines, IA) -- Iowa is slated to receive nearly $775 million in federal relief for Pre-K-12 schools. The money is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed into law on March 11. This third round of funding is more than double the amount the state received earlier this year through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRSSA) Act and roughly 10 times the amount the state received a year ago through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“With Iowa’s schools open for learning, this new round of funding will provide critical support to address current needs and plan for the future,” said Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo. “Schools can use this funding over the next two and a half years to cover a variety of pandemic-related expenses and strategies. This includes addressing disruptions to teaching and learning, meeting students’ social, emotional, behavioral health needs, providing summer school and other extended learning and enrichment programs, hiring additional personnel to keep schools safe and healthy, supporting educators in the effective use of technology and meeting the connectivity needs of remote learners.”

The department says 90 percent of the funds will be available to school districts. The rest will be used for state-level educational efforts to address urgent issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty-percent is mandated to be used to address disruptions to learning through the implementation of evidence-based interventions and to respond to the academic and social, emotional, behavioral health needs of students.


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