Nassau To Help School Districts Recoup Coronavirus Costs

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — County Executive Laura Curran announced a new initiative the county was undertaking to help school districts get the most money the could from the federal government to recoup the costs of the coronavirus.

As the 2020-21 school year began, every school district in Nassau County was forced to figure out ways to keep children safe from the coronavirus while teaching. This meant school districts purchasing desk guards, face masks, cleaning supplies, HVAC filters, hand sanitizing stations and much more.

According to the New York State School Boards Association, those safety upgrades cost an average of $219 per student. "I am 100 percent positive that in Nassau County, where things cost more, it was much more than $219 per child," Curran said.

To help school districts make back as much of the money as possible, the county is launching an initiative to help them apply for grants and other federal funding. The county will help districts navigate the byzantine system to apply for aid.

To get things going, the county will be sending a questionnaire to all 56 school districts to assess their needs. Then it will hold a webinar for school administrators and faculty, and set up dedicated phone and email contacts to quickly address administrators' questions.

The county will also help districts apply for grants and review documentation before its submitted.

"Our schools worked to protect our students and staff and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we want to protect them and protect residents from footing the bill for these unexpected expenses," said Curran. "There is federal funding available. We want to make sure that school districts can connect to those resources. We don't want to leave money on the table."