South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem says the state’s public and private schools will share an additional $75 million dollars, or $500 per student, in new funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund.
The fund was created as part of the federal CARES Act, and Noem says updated guidelines this week on how the money can be used opened the door for the additional funding. The guidelines also mean tribal governments can choose to make a similar payment to tribal and BIE schools.
Noem says she appreciates the great work South Dakota schools are doing to ensure that kids are back in the classroom this fall, adding that it’s crucial students are in the classroom, so the additional relief funds will help schools continue to tackle challenges related to COVID-19.
The $75-million dollars is part of the $1.25 billion provided to South Dakota by the CARES Act. K-12 schools also received $41 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Elementary & Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Funds, and another $5.7 million will be awarded at a later date from the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund