File photo
File photo
Approximately $80 million in CARES Act funds are expected to help Illinois schools overcome the digital divide.
Under the recently created Funding for the Digital Equity Formula Grant program, money would come from the state’s portion of the approximately $4.9 billion allocation Illinois state and local governments received from Congress early in the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation, Illinois has approximately 1.2 million students participating in 100% virtual instruction this school year, with another 528,000 in hybrid programs.
The state will distribute roughly $80 million to 471 local education agencies, according to Metropolis Planet. Funding was directed based on a formula to identify the highest-need schools.
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