The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
41°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Spokane County awards $2.6 million in COVID-19 aid funds to area school districts

Spokane County will deliver $2.6 million in coronavirus aid funds to local school districts. Commissioner Mary Kuney, shown here speaking in December, said of the funding: "I just want to make sure kids are getting the best education they can and we're providing that support so they don't get behind."  (Libby Kamrowski)
By Rebecca White rebeccawh@spokesman.com(509) 459-5039

Spokane County Commissioners unanimously voted to award $2.6 million in COVID-19 aid funds to 17 local school districts to pay for internet access, technology upgrades, PPE and staffing.

The largest three awards will go to Spokane Public Schools, which will be awarded up to $663,000 for a Daycamp, tech and substitute custodial staff.

Mead School District will be awarded up to $543,000 for technology, and Central Valley School District will be awarded up to $420,000 for learning center sites and technology.

The fund for the school districts came from Spokane County’s allotment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Spokane County received $91 million directly from the Federal government and has already spent one third of the funding on small business grants, PPE, food and contact tracing at the Spokane Regional Health District.

Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney, who contacted local school districts to make a list of what each needed, said she believed upgrades to technology and internet, which was a significant portion of almost every school district’s request to the county, was what the CARES funds were meant to be used for.

Kuney said school is starting for many districts in Spokane County and said it’s important to make sure families have what they need as soon as possible so parents can go back to work, and their children don’t face more barriers in their education.

“I just want to make sure kids are getting the best education they can and we’re providing that support so they don’t get behind,” she said. Other districts that received funding included West Valley School District, which will receive about $310,000 for technology, supplies and PPE; Freeman School District which will receive $160,000 for technology and transportation; Reardan-Edwall School District which will receive about $110,000 for internet and laptops; Medical Lake which will receive up to $110,000 for staffing; and Cheney School District which will receive up to $63,500 for internet connectivity.

Riverside School District will receive up to $50,000 for technology; Deer Park School District will receive around $9,100 for internet and shields; and Liberty School District will receive up to $8,000 for internet connection.

This story was updated on Sept. 8, 2020 to correct the amount of CARES money the commissioners have already spent.

Several school districts including East Valley, Orchard Prairie and Great Northern did not submit requests for funding before commissioners approved the total they will provide in CARES funding for schools. Kuney said there is about $140,000 set aside for those districts when they make requests.