Educators call for direct K-12 federal stimulus dollars

As a bipartisan group of senators prepares to introduce a $908 billion stimulus proposal today in Washington, the K-12 Alliance of Michigan issued an urgent call for flexible federal stimulus dollars direct to K-12 schools from President and Woodhaven-Brownstown Schools Superintendent Mark Greathead.

“As lawmakers prepare another attempt at a federal stimulus package, immediate and direct funding for K-12 schools must be at the forefront of those discussions to maintain current school activities and begin the process of recovering from the inevitable loss of learning our students are experiencing during this pandemic. For months, schools across the nation have gone above and beyond to provide safe learning environments for teachers, staff and students — often operating two to three learning models in each school district to address students’ varied needs,” Greathead said. “There is no ‘back to normal’ anytime soon when it comes to education — even with a vaccine in sight, as schools will have to address the significant long-term implications of the massive disruption of learning over the last eight months, and it’s going to require system-wide programs and supports to help students get back on track. Our lawmakers owe it to our students to prioritize their recovery and make that critically needed investment in their success. That commitment must start immediately — as the first step in a long-term process — by taking the politics out of this and getting aid directly to our classrooms where it’s most needed.”