Louisiana school systems receive a 260 million dollar coronavirus relief grant from the feds, with guidance on how to use the funds coming from The Louisiana Department of Education.
Assistant Superintendent Jessica Baghian says the funds will make sure every kid has a computer and access to the internet if school campuses remain closed.
“We want to be ready for strong learning no matter where we are learning, and these dollars and our strong start plan and framework provide a solid first step towards making that happen,” says Baghian.
The money is being disbursed to schools by LDE based on the number of low-income children served in each district.
Bahgian says the funds will also be used to make a plan for every student based on their academic progress and, if needed, provide extra time to help some catch up to their classmates.
“We need to start next school year knowing where every child is academically, and we have three diagnostic tools to help with that. We need to start next year with a plan for every child to close any learning gaps they may have,” says Baghian.
Louisiana received an additional 27 million from the feds that will be set aside for grant opportunities and support for critical systems.
Baghian says with this funding districts can develop a plan for the 2020-2021 school year to ensure every student hears from an educator every day.
“Whether we are in classroom buildings or not to make sure that our children are certainly healthy and safe but also engaged in learning and growing their hearts and minds,” says Baghian.
LDE also encourages school districts to use the money to craft flexible scheduling for the next school year.
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