Schools in the state — public and private — will get at least $120,000 to help pay for cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, cafeterias, gyms and offices in time for students to return for the resumption of in-person classes in August for the first time since mid-March.
Gov. Wolf announced Tuesday the state would release $157.5 million of more than $215 million that has been allocated from the state’s share of federal CARES Act money for sanitizing 770 school entities, the public schools, charter schools, career and technology centers.
The money also can be used to make any modifications necessary to prevent the spread of covid-19 when students and staff return to school.
The Disaster Emergency School Health and Safety Grants Act 30, which Wolf signed on June 5, sets aside $114 million to be distributed to the school districts based on average daily enrollment of the districts. Schools are to apply for the money by June 30, and get the funds by July 15.
The state Senate School Safety and Security Committee acted Tuesday to help speed the distribution of the federal CARES Act funds to address pandemic related expenses, said state Sen. James Brewster, D-McKeesport. “These dollars will go as grants to schools and help reduce community violence.”
While any financial assistance from the state is welcome to help defray the costs of sanitizing before reopening, “it seems to me that it likely could be much more (expensive) than that,” Jeannette Superintendent Matt Jones said of the $120,000 base allotment Jeannette will receive.
“The additional funding is absolutely necessary if our district is expected to operate under the state guidelines,” Jones said.
New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent John Pallone calls the money from the state “a shot in the arm, but not a fix.”
The government’s requirements to get the schools cleaned for the resumption of classes “will require an extraordinary expense that was never anticipated,” Pallone said.
New Ken-Arnold is in the same boat as other school districts, working intensely with administrators, faculty, custodians and others on developing plans for the reopening.
“It’s an arduous process,” Pallone said.
Whatever the format for opening the schools, there will be increased financial obligations districts will be forced to meet, Jones said. That might involve buying additional technology to help close the equity gap in the community, or personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, as well as paying for the labor to do the work, the superintendent noted.
“This is a necessary infusion of cash to help school districts protect children and adjust the footprint of facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Brewster said.
The money can be used for buying cleaning and sanitizing products that meet Centers for Disease Control or state Health Department criteria, as well as training staff on how to sanitize surfaces and minimize the spread of the infectious disease.
Greensburg Salem said Superintendent Gary Pieffer said the district may use the money to buy personal protective equipment for employees, thermometers to check temperatures and plexiglas barriers where feasible. The personal protective equipment also may be bought for visitors entering the school, Pieffer said.
At Hempfield Area, the district disinfects and deep cleans all instructional buildings each summer, utilizing district custodial staff, said Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The school district uses cleaning products and procedures of hospitals, including a thorough cleaning of all surfaces and furniture.
“The district’s summer cleaning approach has continued to improve and evolve, positioning the district to successfully address the challenges associated with covid-19,” Wolicki said.
Hempfield Area has bought cleaning systems that combine pressure washing, chemical metering and injection and wet vacuuming, as well as handheld and backpack electrostatic sprayers that charge the cleaning and disinfection solution. That allows all conductive surfaces to be wrapped with effective and even coverage.
As for the cost of all the cleaning and modifications, at a time when school district revenues have dropped because of unemployment and business closures, Wolicki had the same answer as other school officials.
“We do not have an estimate of the cost as we expand upon these practices,” Wolicki said.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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State to spread $157 million to help schools pay for cleaning, get ready for classes - TribLIVE
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