GALESBURG — Galesburg District 205 will cover $110,000 in school supplies for all students for the upcoming school year to reduce financial barriers to a public education.
The new commitment to provide school supplies for students comes after all registration and participation fees have been waived in recent years.
Absorbing those costs into a balanced budget, the district is on a quest to make public education free and level the playing field for all students.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance Jennifer Hamm said while some students come to school with all the supplies they need, others come with nothing at all.
Hamm said the decision to provide all school supplies for students is an outgrowth of the pandemic, which caused significant financial strain on families.