May 05, 2020

Duckworth, Durbin Announce Availability of Nearly $570 Million in COVID-19 Relief for K-12 Education in Illinois

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced the availability of up to $569,467,218 in federal funding to support continued education for Illinois K-12 students whose schooling has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding allocation, which the Illinois State Board of Education can apply for by July 1, 2020, is part of the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) stimulus that both Duckworth & Durbin voted to pass and can be used by state and local leaders to support a variety of educational services including immediate e-learning needs, safety and health measures, as well as preparation for the following school year.

"It’s critical that students, teachers and schools across Illinois have the resources they need to navigate this public health and economic crisis we are currently in," Duckworth said. "I’m glad the bipartisan CARES Act stimulus includes this funding for Illinois and will continue working with Senator Durbin to support our students and schools that need it most right now.

“This federal funding will give our schools support and flexibility to help meet the needs of students during this unprecedented crisis,” Durbin said. “I’m pleased Congress was able to come together on a bipartisan basis to pass the CARES Act. Senator Duckworth and I will continue working on legislative solutions to provide additional relief for Illinoisans."

This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Education’s Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief Fund (ESSER), which Congress allotted over $13 billion to in the CARES Act.