Atlanta, GA — Local school districts are receiving federal aid through the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill. About $125 billion has been allocated to the K-12 education system. Atlanta Public Schools will receive just over $200 million and the district is seeking input from community stakeholders on how to use the funds.

For more information on the district’s plan and to provide input, click here.

The money will help the district address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on APS students and plans to use the funding to address several areas, including academic recovery and intervention, social emotional learning and student and staff health and wellbeing, according to a press release from APS.

According to the press release, American Rescue Plan funds have been provided to school districts for the following:

– Providing for a safe return to in-person instruction consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reopening schools.

– Addressing learning loss through evidence-based interventions.

– Targeting students who are underserved or disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

– Maintaining continuity of services for students and staff including mental health, social emotional learning, food services and student health.

During a press conference with U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, APS Superintendent Lisa Herring said that the funding has allowed the district to welcome students back in person over the summer and make sure that students are well.

“We’ve utilized those funds for things such as wellness and intervention needs, social emotional wellness for not just our students, but for our staff as well, and as we’ve recognized disrupted learning, we’ve also been intentional around investing our resources towards the areas of literacy and numeracy,” Herring said.

At the press conference, Herring also acknowledged the benefit and need of the school district for the federal funding and emphasized that the need doesn’t go away.

“Public education is not only an intentional and well deserved investment, but it pays off well beyond when our scholars leave us,” Herring said. “So we are encouraged, we remain steadfast and we look forward to the fall when our doors are open and our scholars are in and our families will be back with us.”

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