Gov. J.B. Pritzker is dedicating $108.5 million in federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds to pre-K through 12th grade public education and institutions of higher education to meet the unique challenges of COVID-19. 

This funding will help bridge the digital divide, protect the health and safety of students and overcome barriers created by COVID-19 in order to ensure all students receive a quality education.

“Despite the challenges of COVID-19, I remain committed to a fundamental principle about education: every student, no matter where they live or the color of their skin or what their income level is, deserves a high-quality education from cradle to career,” Pritzker said on Tuesday, July 14. 

Early childhood programs across the state will get $10 million to support professional development and early childhood mental health consultation supports to early childhood professionals to address the social-emotional needs of young children. Funds will also be used for an innovative text-messaging project to help parents support their children’s learning at home. 

Preschool for All and Prevention Initiative programs in those areas most impacted by Covid-19 will receive flexible funding to support home learning materials, personal protective equipment, technology and/or additional staffing.

K-12 schools will receive $50 million in three areas: 

• $40 million to close the digital divide with training for educators and parents, and social-emotional supports for students.
• $32.5 million to school districts to purchase devices, such as laptops and tablets,.
• $7.5 million to purchase WiFi hotspots and increase internet connectivity for students and families.

An additional $7.5 million will be allocated to training for K-12 educators and families.

Another $2.5 million will help the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) create the Student Care Department. The department will lead the development of an inter-departmental student health and safety team, promote best practices for social-emotional learning, review and respond to constituent concerns about student safety and well being, and provide targeted assistance to school districts.

Of the  $569 million ISBE received through the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, $512 million went directly to Illinois school districts to support their local response to the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for the unique challenges of the upcoming school year. 

Since funds became available in mid-May, ISBE approved 818 of the 874 total applications. School districts receive reimbursement on a rolling basis upon their submission of expenditure reports.

ISBE will direct the remaining ESSER funds in the following seven categories:

•  $33.3 million for laptops and tablets.
•  $7.1 million for internet connectivity.
•  $6.5 million for virtual coaching in support of an estimated 4,000 new teachers who will be entering the teaching profession this fall.
•  $6.5 million for professional development.
•  $2.8 million for state administration.
•  $685,000 for entities that are not eligible for the direct funds due to ineligibility for the federal Title I program. 

The combined GEER and additional ESSER funds will provide a total of $80.4 million to close the digital divide for K-12 students and a total of $20.5 million for training for K-12 educators and families.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) will receive nearly half of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funding.

Of the total $108 million GEER Fund, higher education will see $49 million, including $46 million directly to public universities and community colleges. The funding targets institutions’ efforts to overcome barriers facing students that have been created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Uses could include access to laptops, wireless hotspots, targeting advising, mentoring, tutoring, books, childcare, transportation, all strategies to help with recruiting and retention.

An additional $3 million in grants is set aside to support targeted initiatives to enroll and retain underrepresented, first-generation, and high-need students at public and non-profit, independent four-year institutions of higher education in Illinois.

The GEER funding supplements the CARES Act funds provided directly to schools through the U.S. Department of Education. Most funding was distributed based on a formula to all eligible schools.  Additional funds have been distributed to Minority Serving Institutions and to schools deemed to have the greatest need.