Governor Pritzker Wednesday announced Illinois K-12 school districts are receiving seven billion dollars in federal funding to support students as they return to the classroom after distance and hybrid learning due to COVID-19.
Pritzker says to help revitalize education in the classroom, his administration and the P-20 Council are providing schools with a 180-page guide called the Learning Renewal Resource Guide.
"There's no one size fits all solution for the thousands of schools that span our almost 58,000 square miles of Illinois. But, it does guide every district through the best ways to embrace their students after this long period of disruption."
State Schools Superintendent Carmen Ayala says the guide offers suggestions on how districts can use the money to help students struggling through the pandemic. She says that may include tutoring, counseling, boosting enrollment in pre-school, after school apprentice programs and more.
"We are now presented with a unique opportunity to transform systems of learning for students, to reshape our new normal, so that our students return to an education system that is more equitable, more individualized and more responsive to their needs."
Schools will be asked for their thoughts on how well the initiatives are working and for any additional suggestions.
In southern Illinois, Marion District 2 is receiving the largest emergency relief allocation at over $16 million. Mt. Vernon District 80 and Centralia District 135 are both receiving almost $12.5 million and Carbondale District 95 is getting about $12.2 million.
To see how your district fared, click here.
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