Abbott, state leaders announce $11.2B in funds are headed to Texas schools to aid pandemic learning loss
State leaders announce partial release of federal funds
Billions of federal funding will soon flow to schools to help students recover from the pandemic.(Lynda M. González / Staff Photographer)
This is a developing story that will be frequently updated.
About $11.2 billion will soon make its way to Texas schools to help students recover from the pandemic after state leaders announced the partial release of federal education dollars on Wednesday.
The state will distribute the funds for use over the next three years through grants administered by the Texas Education Agency. The money is part of a larger package of federal funds totaling close to $18 billion that Congress approved late last year and this spring. Texas was one of the few states that had yet to make plans to distribute most of the federal aid set aside for educators and students.
Lovejoy to vote on closing an elementary campus, as challenges brought on by enrollment, COVID-19 mount
The decision to close Lovejoy Elementary is part of a raft of recommendations made by the district’s administration to cover a $3.1 million shortfall this year and a projected $6 million shortfall for 2021-22.
Community members attend a Lovejoy ISD public meeting at Lovejoy Elementary in Allen, TX, on Apr. 19, 2021. (Jason Janik/Special Contributor)(Jason Janik / Special Contributor)
Anticipating a multimillion dollar shortfall, Lovejoy ISD trustees will vote Sunday evening on whether to close the district’s flagship elementary campus.
The decision part of a raft of recommendations made by the district’s administration to cover a $3.1 million shortfall this year and a projected $6 million shortfall for 2021-22 was delayed for almost a week as trustees asked for more time to contemplate the closure of Lovejoy Elementary.
What Texas kids need to know in order to become responsible citizens is up for debate.
After Gov. Greg Abbott named strengthening civics education as one of his priorities for the legislative session, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle filed bills with that goal in mind.
But some advocacy groups are concerned that the issue could become too politicized, potentially stymieing progress in Austin.
“Teachers want this. Parents want this. Concerned citizens want this,” said Wendy May-Dreyer, chair of the Texas Civic Education Coalition. “It doesn’t need to become a culture war.”
Texas GOP Chairman Allen West recently decried several of the civics education bills, saying in a statement that the Legislature is facing an “onslaught of … legislation that advances Critical Race Theory from a progressive socialist standpoint” and would “open the doors to left-wing activism among our children.”
Democrats urge Texas Republican leaders to quickly distribute federal COVID relief funds dallasnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dallasnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
$18 billion in federal education dollars missing from initial House and Senate budget drafts
Lawmakers say they await clarity from the federal government.
Early drafts of the next state budget have notably omitted about $18 billion in federal funds meant to help students recover from the pandemic. Schools say they need money now to help accelerate learning.(Lynda M. González / Staff Photographer)
It’s unlikely Texas schools will know anytime soon if they’ll have extra money to pay for summer programs, tutors or smaller class sizes to help kids recover from the pandemic.
Early drafts of the next state budget have notably omitted about $18 billion in federal funds meant to help students and schools make up lost ground.