Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced Monday that she is awarding $48 million to the Alabama State Department of Education that will fund various measures aimed at counteracting the effects the coronavirus pandemic will have on the upcoming school year.
The funds come from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEERF), a provision of the CARES Act that allowed each of the nation’s governor’s to request funds from the federal government that will allow their state’s schools to continue functioning amidst the pandemic.
Ivey also publicized that Alabama’s colleges and universities can apply for a portion of a new $50 million pool of additional CARES Act money.
“I am pleased to invest in our state’s greatest asset – our students,” Governor Ivey said in a statement.
The allotment for the $48 million, per the Governor’s Office, as follows:
- $10 million to equip all school buses with WiFi capabilities to increase internet connectivity and help bridge the digital divide
- $4 million to improve remote learning opportunities by providing digital textbook and library resources for all students
- $26 million to provide additional academic support to bridge learning and achievement gaps
- $9 million to support intensive before and after school tutoring resources for learning and remediation in schools
Ivey continued, “As we respond and adapt to COVID-19, we must ensure that our local school districts and institutions of higher education receive necessary support and provide our students full access to their educational opportunities.”
“Closing school during the pandemic disproportionately impacts students who are already struggling, and it is our obligation to provide as much stability and access possible in these uncertain times,” the governor concluded.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
