Bensalem Schools Get $200,000 To Help During COVID

BENSALEM, PA — Two schools in the Bensalem Township School District have received more than $200,000 from a state fund to assist students who need extra help during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday announced that $17 million would go to 220 districts and other agencies to improve services for about 180,000 students at schools targeted for additional support and improvement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

Bensalem High School was awarded $169,406 and Robert K Shafer Middle School received $54,511.

"While all schools have been impacted this year by the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools that have been identified under ESSA as needing extra support are facing additional challenges," Wolf said. "This funding will help these high-need schools as they put systems in place to help students while we work to control the spread of this virus."

The Congress-approved CARES Act authorized governors to determine the use of education funds.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to develop plans to designate schools for support and improvement based on the performance of individual student groups in key areas, including academic achievement and growth, graduation rates and English learner progress.

"Recognizing that COVID-19 response efforts, including building closures, are likely to exacerbate outcome gaps for historically underserved students, schools and intermediate units are encouraged to use these additional funds to accelerate efforts to engage local stakeholders and implement appropriate, evidence-based improvement strategies," said Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera.