Area school districts to receive nearly $700,000 in health and safety grants

HARRISBURG, Aug. 7 – State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, announced that area schools will receive state grants to help fund health and public safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Schools have been particularly burdened with the impacts of the coronavirus. These funds will help students and teachers get back to classrooms in the safest way possible, equipped with appropriate protective materials. Career and technical schools faced unique challenges and disruption in education, and this grant will help them resume operations and the hands-on learning they provide,” Bizzarro explained.

Grant recipients in the 3rd Legislative District include:

  • Millcreek Township School District -- 378,925 PCCD grant
  • General McLane School District -- $203,535 PCCD grant
  • Erie County Technical School -- $116,101 CTC Equity grant

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency awarded COVID-19 Disaster Emergency School Health and Safety grants for the 2020-21 school year from its allocation of federal CARES Act money. Schools may use the funding to purchase cleaning and sanitizing products; training and professional development of staff on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases; equipment purchases; modifying existing areas to support appropriate social distancing of students and staff; providing mental health services and supports; purchasing educational technology for distance learning; and other health and safety programs, items or services necessary to address the COVID-19 disaster emergency.

Career and technical centers also were awarded CTC Equity grants, which are funded by federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief money. These grants are used to support effective continuity of education programs and industry credential assessments for enrolled students who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 mitigation efforts.