SWAMPSCOTT — When Swampscott’s budget was slashed by more than $600,000 at the annual Town Meeting in June, the majority of that came from the schools.
With $381,000 in cuts, and talks of returning to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Swampscott Public Schools officials are hoping enough grant opportunities and federal funds are taken advantage of to prevent any negative changes to the town’s education system.
The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) gave the town $1.3 million dollars, of which the town allocated nearly $500,000 to the schools, and the schools-specific part of the CARES Act, the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief fund (ESSER), provided Swampscott schools $149,000.
“The federal government has been putting a lot of money into this issue, this virus, and we’re very thankful a lot of money has floated our way,” said Martha Sybert, business administrator for Swampscott Public Schools.
Swampscott has also applied for a Remote Learning Technology Essentials (RLTE) grant, with the amount of money the town could receive unknown — any money granted would have to be matched equally by the school district, however. The deadline for the town to apply for a Coronavirus Relief Fund (CvRF), which would give the schools about $473,000 ( $225 per pupil), is Aug. 31.
“Combined, we have applied for or received $1.1 million in funding to help us navigate this crisis,” Sybert said.
Many of the necessities — more than 6,000 meals for children and adults, 1,115 Chromebook devices, personal protective equipment, and training for staff prior to returning to school — have been paid for by the CARES Act funds, Sybert said.
The big question is how much RLTE money the town may get, with the grant program being a “$25 million pot” of money that will be distributed to school systems in the state. While the money could be used for past expenses, Swampscott’s intention would be to use any money granted for the upcoming school year, specifically for iPads and to set up internet access for families that don’t have it, Sybert said.
“These grants are not really sustainable, they are for one-time purchases,” Sybert said.
The CvRF funds, if granted, would potentially be used for transportation costs, Sybert said, as well as other remote-learning expenses.
