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The latest news about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 in Montana.

Montana's K-12 Districts Could Receive $160 Million From COVID Relief Bill

Lockers in an empty school hallway.
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The COVID relief bill passed by Congress Monday outlines more funding for Montana’s K-12 public school districts. State education officials say this round could be nearly four times larger than what districts received this summer.

 

 

The Montana Office of Public Instruction announced in a press release that districts across the state could receive $160 million from the federal stimulus bill compared to the $41 million in federal relief aid given out in June.

 

OPI says these funds will flow through the traditional Title 1 formula used to distribute federal dollars to schools based on the number of low-income students in their district boundaries. Private schools will receive funding through public districts based on their low-income student numbers.

 

This summer, federal education officials altered the calculation under that program, giving private schools substantially more access to federal aid. By the time a federal court shot down the change, many of Montana’s private schools reportedly spent their extra funding. 

Aaron joined the MTPR team in 2019. He reports on all things in northwest Montana and statewide health care.

aaron@mtpr.org or call/text at 612-799-1269
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