Public and private schools in Schuylkill County are getting more money in COVID-19 relief grants, according to information released by State Sen. Dave Argall.
This is the second round of COVID-19 grants awarded through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). ESSER was created from the CARES Act passed by Congress in 2020. The money is designed to be used by schools for a variety of purposes:
- Cleaning supplies
- Coordinating operations for long-term closures
- Purchasing education technology for students taking virtual classes
- Providing school principals with financial resources to run schools smoothly
During this second round of grant funding, Schuylkill County schools got nearly $16.7 million. In the first round, local schools got a little more than $4 million.
Schuylkill County Schools Get Nearly $16.7 Million COVID Grant Money
Pottsville Area received the most money from this round of ESSER grants with $2,526,616. Blue Mountain got the second most with $2,324,238, and Shenandoah Valley got the third most with $2,246,568.
Here’s a look at how money was distributed to all Schuylkill County school districts, including how much each got during the first round of funding:
| School | Round 1 | Round 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mountain | $566,146 | $2,324,238 | $2,890,384 |
| Gillingham Charter | $51,950 | $213,274 | $265,224 |
| Mahanoy Area | $341,490 | $1,401,942 | $1,743,432 |
| Minersville Area | $239,324 | $982,513 | $1,221,837 |
| North Schuylkill | $358,018 | $1,469,796 | $1,827,814 |
| Pine Grove Area | $293,565 | $1,205,192 | $1,498,757 |
| Pottsville Area | $615,442 | $2,526,616 | $3,142,058 |
| Saint Clair Area | $153,567 | $630,449 | $784,016 |
| Schuylkill Haven Area | $187,750 | $770,783 | $958,533 |
| Shenandoah Valley | $547,227 | $2,246,568 | $2,792,795 |
| Tamaqua Area | $427,888 | $1,756,638 | $2,184,526 |
| Tri-Valley | $89,613 | $367,894 | $457,507 |
| Williams Valley | $183,617 | $753,815 | $937,432 |
| Total | $4,055,597 | $16,649,718 | $20,705,315 |
“I was very pleased to hear that the new stimulus bill provides this assistance to our schools districts,” Argall says in a statement released Monday. “Our children are our most valuable resource and ensuring that they have a safe and secure environment to learn in is of the utmost importance. This new funding will be an incredible asset as schools continue to grapple with the new reality that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced upon us all.”
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coalregion12
January 5, 2021 at 7:59 am
I wonder if we in PASD will still have Property Tax Increases due to Covid-19? With 3.1 million from CARES Act Funding, they will have a lot of explaining to do if they try.
Canary Commenter
January 5, 2021 at 12:28 pm
Don’t forget about all that “ca$h rolling in” from those solar panels, too.
Sylvia Kanish
January 5, 2021 at 9:44 am
What about Nativity High School–don’t they get any of the funding???
Canary Commenter
January 5, 2021 at 12:17 pm
They were not included on the list. Not sure if they’re getting money funneled through the Diocese of Allentown or if this was an omission from the Senator’s office. Will check on this.