State Finance Committee to Give More Federal Aid to School Districts That Reopen

Thursday, February 11th, 2021 -- 1:00 PM

(AP) -Republicans who control the Legislature’s finance committee have decided to give more federal aid to scores of school districts that decide to reopen to in-person instruction.

State education officials had planned to distribute $65 million in federal coronavirus relief dollars across 172 school districts and two charter schools to offset federal aid going to poorer districts in the state.

Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee voted Wednesday to instead distribute the money according to how many in-person instruction hours those districts offer.  Districts that offer more hours would get more aid.

Committee Democrats cried foul, saying the move punishes schools that remain virtual. Republicans said it’s time for schools to re-open.  The $65 million is only 10 percent of the federal aid provided through the CRRSA Act.

The other $617.5 million is distributed based on title one (the number of students from low-income families).

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