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Erie County to support all county school districts with coronavirus relief funding

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Thu, Aug 20th 2020 12:05 pm

$15.2 million designated for assistance in purchasing personal protective equipment, enabling distance learning

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz on Thursday announced Erie County will be designating a portion of its coronavirus relief funds – more than $15.2 million from the U.S. CARES Act – to support local school districts in their efforts to bring students and staff back to school and/or enable distance learning. Erie County will provide each school district in the county with $100 per student, with an additional $50 for each student classified as economically disadvantaged by the New York State Education Department.

“We are all in this together and, as school districts prepare for the new school year, Erie County is supporting them with funding to help them put protections in place and plan for remote learning,” Poloncarz said. “Budgets are tight everywhere while many local districts are searching for ways to augment their own protective efforts and enhance their distance-learning capabilities. Earlier today, I discussed this support plan with area school superintendents, who appreciate the assistance and will put it to use in their own districts.”

Eligible uses of this funding include:

  • Purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE);
  • Purchasing sanitizing equipment;
  • Implementing social distancing and other infection-control measures; and
  • Purchasing equipment for remote learning including laptops, tablets, webcams and hotspots.

In total, 28 school districts and 19 charter schools will receive a total of $15,269,150 in funding. Schools will be required to certify all expenditures meet U.S. Treasury Department guidelines and enter into a contract with Erie County agreeing to follow such guidelines.

School enrollment figures are based on data from the NYS Education Department.

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