KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – As the nation braces for the widespread arrival of the omicron variant, officials with the Kalamazoo Public Schools are shifting into the next phase of their response.
The district is due to submit their proposal to the federal government on how they plan to spend the next phase of COVID-19 response money in about a week. It’s officially called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER-3).
KPS Operations Director James English says most of it will be spent on technology like Chromebooks, improved air filtration, sanitation, and learning loss programs. That will mean purchasing hardware and software, hiring new staff, and retraining current staff.
The plan adds up to about $35 million.
The Board of Education has also approved spending $187,000 to put HEPA filters in the district’s cafeterias.
They are only permitted to use ESSER funding to counter the effects of the pandemic, and can be used over the next three years.
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