Sept. 28, 2020
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. is excited to announce the County Legislature’s unanimous approval of his equity-based K-12 public school funding plan. The plan, Ordinance 5398, provides $5,000,000 of the federal CARES Act funds received by Jackson County be distributed to K-12 public school districts within Jackson County to assist with their reopening needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The members of our Legislature have been very diligent and responsible with every single dollar the County received from the federal government to combat the unforeseen, devastating impacts of the coronavirus,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. “Their support of this plan ensures teachers and staff have access to the resources they need to provide a quality education to our children no matter where they live. Jackson County is committed to serving our community during this critical time of need and I’d like to commend the Legislature for their valuable role in getting this important work done.”
The funding approved today allocates money to the public school districts based on enrollment and poverty and would allow each district significant flexibility in determining how the funds are used. Examples include but are not limited to, enhanced wireless internet services, improved education technology, mental health services, COVID-19 testing and nutrition programs.
| Blue Springs R-IV – $593,867.28 | Independence-30 – $845,334.02 | ||
| Center 58 – $159,740.97 | Kansas City Public Schools – $1,062,331.06 | ||
| Fort Osage R-1 – $255,118.02 | Lee’s Summit R-VII – $654,931.45 | ||
| Grain Valley R-V – $167,916.38 | Lone Jack C-6 – $21,025.68 | ||
| Grandview C-4 – $277,662.11 | Oak Grove R-VI – $82,676.60 | ||
| Hickman Mills C-1 – $397,936.26 | Raytown C-2 – $481,460.16 |
On March 27, Congress passed and the president signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which established a new $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) for state, county and municipal governments with populations of over 500,000 people to address necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Accordingly, Jackson County received $122,669,998.30, which may only be used to cover costs that:
- Are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19); and
- Were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act); and
- Were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020 and ends on December 30, 2020.
