Local schools eligible for estimated $123.5 million in federal aid

Luzerne County’s 11 school districts could be eligible for a total of nearly $123.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds under the newly-enacted America Rescue plan, according to Congressional estimates provided by U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic.

Hazleton Area School District could nab nearly a third of that total, $37 million. Wilkes-Barre Area School District would get a bit more than a quarter of the local total, potentially $32.7 million. Northwest Area, the county’s smallest district by enrollment, could get $1.8 million.

The money will be given to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which will make the final determination on amounts for each district. The estimates provided by Cartwright were calculated by the Congressional Research Service.

The money is intended to help districts work with health experts to re-open schools safely and help students recover any academic losses due to the pandemic, which prompted an abrupt, state-ordered closing of all schools a year ago this weekend and forced districts to transition to on-line learning when many initially lacked the technology to make the transition.

According to a media release from Cartwright, accepted uses of the money include. Repairing ventilation systems, reducing class sizes and implementing social distancing guidelines, purchasing personal protective equipment, and hiring support staff to care for students’ health and well-being.

The law requires 20% of the funding that schools receive must be reserved to address and remediate learning loss among students.