CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Pritzker Administration is giving local school districts across Illinois a guide for using federal funds they may receive as part of the latest COVID-19 stimulus package.
Governor Pritzker said Illinois expects to receive some $7 billion in aid for kindergarten through 12th grade education; and, he said, the state has prepared 180 pages on how that money might be used.
The Learning Renewal Resource Guide isn't a substitute for local ideas and homegrown initiatives, but it is an expert compendium of some of the best ways to renew learning, including academic and behavioral counseling; out-of-classroom experiences, like high-value tutoring, after school programs, and summer camps; and creating individualized student profiles to craft the best plans for all students.
“If you’re a parent, I know you’ve spent most of this pandemic worried about how your kids are learning – with all the screens and Zooms, sometimes you’re worried about whether they’re learning at all,” said Governor JB Pritzker, in a statement. “My administration is taking a little bit of that worry off your plates. I’m committed to making sure that Illinois leads the nation in assisting schools to make this new $7 billion count over the next several years to overcome the pandemic’s effects on our students, parents and educators.”
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, who was in Elgin with Pritzker, said it’s like a toolbox, to be used as local officials choose.
State Representative Maura Hirschauer, her husband, and their three kids are anxious for the help. Like many, they fear the achievement gap has turned into a chasm.
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