Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Office at the Illinois State Board of Education announced today that 471 school districts will receive portions of over $80 million to help bridge the digital divide among Illinois students. Funding for the Digital Equity Formula Grant comes from the federal CARES Act.
According to a press release, More than 1.2 million students are starting the 2020-21 school year with remote learning in place and approximately 528,000 are learning in a blended or hybrid environment, comprising nearly 92 percent of all students in Illinois. The Digital Equity Formula Grant is being used to ensure students have the technology they need to access learning this Fall.
The Digital Equity Formula Grant allocates funding to the highest-need districts in the state based on an Evidence-Based Funding Final Percent of Adequacy of 70 percent or lower in fiscal year 2020 or FY 2021. Districts may use the grant to cover technology purchases made since March 13th. Districts will receive reimbursement after submitting an approvable application and at least quarterly expenditure reports.
The following districts in the listening area received the grants with amounts:
Jacksonville School District 117 $208,985
Beardstown $109,035
Virginia $46,185
Pleasant Hill $45,293
Pikeland $93,908
Barry-Western $56,728
Winchester $61,129
Bluffs $41,265
North Greene $74,887
Northwestern $47,294
North Mac $97,941
Auburn $98,498