State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) shared news from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) that Illinois is set to receive more than $2.25 Billion in federal CARES Act funding for local schools; more than four times the amount received in the initial disbursement of COVID-19 relief last year. There will also be a set-aside for nonpublic schools in the forthcoming second round of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund.
ISBE Superintendent Dr. Carmen Ayala is urging schools and districts to utilize a significant portion of their share of funds to mitigate learning loss by considering a longer school year, before/after-school programs and summer learning opportunities; in addition to taking steps to close the digital divide and address the mental health needs of students.
“This funding will help our local educators and school administrators navigate these challenging times as we continue to emphasize the importance of returning to safe, full-time, in-person classroom instruction for students of all ages throughout the Stateline and across Illinois,” Representative Sosnowski said. “I would like to recognize all our local teachers for their dedication and perseverance as we pursue these shared goals.”
ISBE’s Preliminary Estimated Allocations for local school districts in Boone and Winnebago Counties in this second round of CARES Act funding are as follows:
Representative Sosnowski serves the 69th District which includes portions of Winnebago and Boone Counties.