Money To Learn

$210 Million From CARES Act To Aid Academic Need In Maryland

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at podium with Maryland Lt.. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (left). PHOTO: Joe Andrucyk, Patrick Siebert

The Hogan Administration announced Maryland schools would receive $210 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) federal stimulus package to fund remote education-which became the new mode of learning under the stay-at-home orders for employees and students at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Allocation of funds are:   

$100 million: To local school systems to maintain updated devices and internet connectivity. These funds will also be used for sufficient staff to maintain and distribute needed equipment

$100 million: To schools with tutoring and learning programs for students whose math and reading scores fall below their grade level.

$10 million: To the Governor’s Office of Rural Broadband to establish a wireless education network for students in western Maryland, southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore. The education network is for areas that lack broadband service and for locations where access is limited.

There was support and disapproval of the financial aid.

“Long-standing gaps in educational opportunity and access have been further exposed and widened by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Maryland Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon lending her support. “Our goal with these resources is to give local school systems the support and flexibility to help ensure that students most impacted during the crisis receive intense focus and priority in our recovery efforts.”

Cheryl Bost, president of the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) says the aid comes too late. The school year has ended for these students who struggled with online learning in the spring term.

Before things get better, there will be more cuts - deep cuts. Hogan proposed $1.45 billion in spending cuts across the board. Living in the new normal is about to begin.