Illinois schools to receive final $1.6 billion in pandemic relief funding

The third and final piece of COVID pandemic relief funding is headed to Illinois schools.

The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that it had approved of Illinois’ plan to use the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) and distributed those funds.

Between the three rounds of funding, Illinois is receiving $5 billion, with $1.6 billion coming in the third round. So far, the Department of Education has approved 32 state plans.

Here’s how some of the funds will be used in Illinois:

• $345 million on formula-based funding to support evidence-based interventions to address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on students who have missed the most in-person instruction or did not participate in remote instruction
• $52 million to close to digital divide, specifically helping school districts equip each student with their own computer
  
  
• $50 million to be dispersed via competitive grants to schools and community-based organizations to support social emotional and mental health needs for students and staff, prioritizing students most greatly impacted by COVID, including students from low-income families, students with disabilities, and students experiencing homelessness
• $12 million to implement a high-impact tutoring program
• Nearly $10 million to help build a diverse workforce in light of the teacher shortage