Facebook Twitter

How should Illinois spend its share of another $5.1 billion in federal stimulus funding for schools? Tell us.

030121_Back_to_School_Hawthorne_Academy_ColinBoyle_9.jpg

Mayor Lori Lightfoot gestures as public officials tour classrooms at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy on March 1. Chicago Public Schools expects to receive nearly $1.8 billion from the new round of COVID-19 stimulus funding. What advice would you give Lightfoot and school leaders on how to spend it?

Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Illinois is set to receive more than $5 billion in federal stimulus funding for schools, and most of that will go directly to districts. Chicago, the state’s largest district, will receive about $1.8 billion of that — money leaders have said will go toward mounting costs of reopening campuses and addressing learning disruptions from the pandemic.

Superintendents and school boards will have a lot of flexibility to determine where to direct the money, though the federal government has said they must use at least 20% to address learning gaps. 

How would you like to see your district spend the money? What priorities should superintendents and school boards keep in mind? Tell us in the survey below. 

If you are having trouble viewing this form on mobile, go here.

The Latest
City residents ages 14 to 24 are eligible to apply for the six-week jobs program. New numbers show participation rates have yet to bounce back from a pandemic decline.
Chicago schools’ budget strategy is to lobby for more state dollars, officials said.
EduLog, which previously worked with Chicago schools, will provide transportation planning and bus routing for Chicago students.
A push to remove police from Chicago schools intensified after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Chalkbeat breaks down Paul Vallas’ and Brandon Johnson’s positions on education issues.
State lawmakers must draw districts for Chicago’s elected school board by July 1, 2023 ahead of the November 2024 election. They’re accepting ideas for how to divide up the city through a new online portal.