Kentucky's plan to use its final $611 million batch of funds from the American Rescue Plan to support full-time, in-person learning during the pandemic has won federal approval. The state also plans to use the money to support social-emotional learning and mental health programs, professional development in literacy instruction for educators and staff, technical assistance to implement accelerated-learning summer programs, and a new summer enrichment program with AmeriCorps focused on outdoor environmental education.
”Instead of returning to the traditional way of doing things, our priority is to return to a better than normal school year,” said Kentucky’s education commissioner, Jason E. Glass. ”Instead of returning to the traditional way of doing things, our priority is to return to a better than normal school year.”
The U.S. Department of Education announced the approval of Kentucky’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief plan on Thursday. In all, the Kentucky Department of Education will have received $2 billion in federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act. The U.S. Department of Education has now approved 28 state plans.
“The pandemic has presented countless challenges for students, parents, and educators over the past year and a half — both inside the classroom and out,” said U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, who serves as chairman of the House Budget Committee. “With a new school year starting, I am thrilled that the Department of Education has approved Kentucky’s transformative plan to assist schools in safely reopening, addressing learning loss, and providing key support to students and educators as our recovery continues.”
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