Madden: $278,970 in safety grants awarded to Monroe County schools during COVID-19 pandemic
Rep. Maureen E. Madden August 12, 2020 | 11:37 AM
MONROE, Aug. 12 – State Rep. Maureen Madden, D-Monroe, said that two school districts and the Monroe County Career and Technical Institute have been awarded grants as part of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds:
- $144,439 - Monroe County Career and Technical Institute.
- $92,200 – East Stroudsburg School District.
- $42,331 – Stroudsburg Area School District.
Madden said the grants will help the schools continue their educational curriculum, such as summer and other expanded programming for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The grant funding will help ensure that programs are current for students and that the schools are providing a relevant curriculum in a safe environment because of the COVID-19 crisis,” Madden said.
Madden said GEER funding can be used towards the safe reopening of the technical institute. This may include purchasing protective equipment, hand sanitizer/cleaning products and other educational-related equipment or technology to take classrooms online.
There are 80 Career Technical Institutes in Pennsylvania that offer a combination of classes and hands-on learning in programs approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Thousands of students earn industry credentials or certifications got local jobs in high demand, so they can graduate on a path for success.
According to Madden, the grants are administered by the state Department of Education, with the federal funding based on both the shares of total enrollments by each postsecondary sector and the number of socioeconomically disadvantaged students served by institutions. The funding awards were calculated based on the allocation for federal Perkins CTC grants, which consider the population of students aged 5-17 and the percent of poverty within the same age group.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act authorizes the governor to determine the educational use of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funding.