Jackson County’s four public school corporations will receive an estimated $3.81 million as part of a second round of federal stimulus dollars in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indiana Department of Education announced the CARES 2.0 school planning allocations Monday. Together, the allocations for public and non-public schools in the state total more than $881 million.
Seymour Community School Corp. is slated to receive $2,474,160.97 in funding, while $777,040.78 will be allocated to Brownstown Central Community School Corp.; $257,419.36 will go to Crothersville Community School Corp.; and $302,870.46 will be sent to Medora Community School Corp.
Steve Nauman, business manager for SCSC, said the district has received some information about the funding from the state but nothing official.
“We have not had any major discussions about the funds, and we will not make any plans until we can apply for the funds with this round of COVID money,” he said.
Nauman said the corporation will release more detailed information once it is available, but even the additional funds won’t be enough.
“We will never have enough money for all the things we need to do to meet the federal mandates, but we do the best we can,” he said.
Local parochial schools receiving stimulus funding include Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour, $121,150; Sandy Creek Christian Academy in Seymour, $135,100; Lutheran Central School in Brownstown, $116,850; Immanuel Lutheran School in Seymour, $286,150; St. Ambrose Catholic School in Seymour, $129,200; and St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School, $74,900.
“This CARES 2.0 federal funding offers the opportunity to focus on addressing the educational needs exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Katie Jenner, Indiana secretary of education. “As we all continue to navigate these challenges, it will be critical to better understand and take actions to mitigate the learning loss resulting from COVID-19 as well as capitalize on any opportunities for growth that have come to light as a result of this challenge.”
The funds include:
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund
Planning allocations for Indiana’s public schools — the largest part of ESSER funding — total $799.37 million. These schools will submit their allowable expenses incurred from March 13, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2023, and then will be eligible for reimbursement.
Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools
Non-public schools’ planning allocations total $81.66 million, which can be used to fund services and support for these schools. These funds prioritize schools that enroll low-income students and are most impacted by the pandemic.
These planning allocations are preliminary and will be finalized in the coming months based on the Title I formula.
The second federal stimulus package also includes more than $115 million in discretionary funding available to the state and $327.78 million available for higher education.