Biden administration provides financial cushion to Alachua school board after FL officials dock pay

After state education officials docked the pay of four Alachua County school board members who voted for a strict mask mandate, the Biden administration has stepped in and awarded $147,719 to fill in the financial gap for the district.

The grant is from a new program called Project SAFE, which is intended to financially support school boards that implement COVID prevention methods recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, but have been penalized for doing so.

“I’m very grateful to Mr. (Miguel) Cardona (U.S. Education Secretary), President Biden and the federal government for the funding,” Alachua Superintendent Carlee Simon said in a written statement Thursday. “But I’m even more grateful for their continued support and encouragement of our efforts to protect students and staff and to keep our schools open for in-person learning.”

Simon received the news from Secretary Cardona, himself, over the phone, according to an Alachua communications staffer. The Alachua school board is the first to receive grant funding from this program.

Read more: https://floridaphoenix.com/blog/biden-administration-provides-financial-cushion-to-alachua-school-board-after-fl-officials-dock-pay/