How Should Schools Spend $193 Billion In COVID-19 Relief Funds?

Published May 4, 2021 at 12:40 PM CDT

The U.S. Department of Education issued new rules and guidance last month on how K-12 schools across the country should plan for spending their COVID-19 aid.

In total, schools have been allotted $190 billion in three major relief bills through Congress. Local school districts and charter networks will soon have to submit spending plans to their state education agency, which means they will be deciding now where the money is most needed.

Here & Now’s Tonya Mosley speaks with Talisa Dixon, superintendent of Columbus City Schools, one of the largest districts in the country with 50,000 students. This year, the district is expected to see $288 million from the latest congressional relief package on top of the $160 million already received through the first and second rounds of funding.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.