OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Osceola County Commissioners gave Osceola County Public Schools $2.2 million in Cares Act Funding on Thursday.
School officials said the money will be used for all sorts of programs like ESOL, STEM and job training for students.
Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace said the district will also be using the money to buy 3,800 laptops to support distance learning since they had a shortage of devices earlier this year.
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Pace said the district already placed orders for new laptops.
HAPPENING NOW: Osceola County giving 2.2 million dollars in federal cares act funding to help @Osceolaschools amid pandemic @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/UDAKRORO3G
— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) October 15, 2020
“3,800 laptops goes a long way because as students continue to enroll in our district, there remains a need for laptop devices,” Pace said.
Pace also explained the number of cases in schools remains low right now and that all schools are open.
In August, shortly after the school year began, Harmony Middle School was forced to shutdown after several staff members contracted COVID-19. The school was able to open on Sept. 14.
“We’ve been devastated by many respects by COVID-19. So many of our families are out of work. Children are hungry and people are frightened,” Pace said.
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Though the Cares Act funds from the county will not be used for personal protective equipment for classrooms, Pace said the school district is using it’s own funding to buy those supplies.