Wyoming’s schools will receive more than $32.5 million in coronavirus relief from the federal government, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow has announced.
Balow announced last week that the funds are Wyoming’s share of $13.2 billion allocated to elementary and secondary schools across the country as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
The money will give Wyoming school districts emergency funds to address the impacts of the coronavirus on schools across the state.
“We are grateful for these timely funds,” Balow said in a news release. “Wyoming education should not go ‘back to normal.’ School districts and schools will utilize the … funds to make schools more nimble and safer in the face of a resurgence or future pandemic.”
School buildings across the state remain closed as students continue to take lessons from home. Several school districts have already decided not to open their buildings back up during this school year.
The federal money should be used to make up for any educational shortfalls that may have occurred while students spent the last several months of school at home, Balow said.
“We should spend these dollars to fill education gaps created by COVID-19 school closures and strengthen our education system,” she said.
