Burns: $94,000 in COVID relief to help local schools and special needs students
Funding to help provide services, supports to students with disabilities
Rep. Frank Burns August 20, 2020 | 5:03 PM
EBENSBURG, Aug. 20 – As schools across the region get ready for the start of an unprecedented school year, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today announced that more than $94,000 in COVID-19 relief funding has been awarded to local schools to assist students with special needs.
“As difficult as the last school year was for students, many special needs students were especially vulnerable to the changes that were put into effect,” Burns said. “This funding will help to make sure that they have the services and supports they need so that all of our students can hopefully have a successful year ahead. This will be a difficult school year, but I am confident that our educators, students and families will rise to meet the challenges ahead.”
Grants awarded to schools in Cambria County included:
- Penn Cambria SD, $16,915.41
- Greater Johnstown SD, $14,666.76
- Forest Hills SD, $14,495.02
- Conemaugh Valley SD, $10,579.71
- Westmont Hilltop SD, $9,537.87
- Central Cambria SD , $8,626.92
- Cambria Heights SD, $5,000.00
- Ferndale Area SD, $5,000.00
- Glendale SD, $5,000.00
- Portage Area SD, $5,000.00
The Special Education COVID-19 Impact Mitigation Grant provides $15 million statewide in financial support to local education agencies to:
- Provide enhanced synchronous (real-time) instruction to bolster remote services and supports for students with complex needs; and
- Provide services and supports to students with disabilities who experienced a loss in skills and behavior and/or a lack of progress due to the mandatory school closures.
Funding from the program comes from federal coronavirus relief money that states can allocate to meet local needs.