Nearly $400 million in federal COVID-19 rescue funds are expected to flow to South Jersey schools to get students back in buildings and on track academically after more than a year of learning disruptions.
Funding is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden in early March. A $112 billion chunk of the COVID-19 rescue plan is earmarked for American K-12 schools.
New Jersey s Department of Education will receive $2.765 billion to allocate to school districts.
Public school districts in Burlington, Camden, Cumberland and Gloucester counties expect to receive a combined $393 million, based on early figures supplied to congressional district offices.
SJ school districts expect $393M in American Rescue Plan COVID funding thedailyjournal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thedailyjournal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Newark Advocate
Newark City Schools was forced to cancel classes on Thursday, a day after many of the staff received the second COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a tweet from the district, Newark schools closed Thursday because of a staffing shortage.
District spokesman Seth Roy said roughly 550 staff members got the second dose of the vaccine on Wednesday. While he didn t have an exact number, he said enough staff called off work that it was not possible to hold classes.
Roy noted that in previous years when staff called off, the district had the option of combining classrooms. With COVID-19 protocols in place, such actions can t happen this year.