Pelham school district to receive $622,000 from federal Covid-19 relief bill

Pelham+school+district+to+receive+%24622%2C000+from+federal+Covid-19+relief+bill

The Pelham Union Free School District will receive $622,000 from the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 pandemic rescue funding approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden, according to a press release from Sen. Charles Schumer.

The legislation, called the American Rescue Plan, includes $2.5 billion for upstate school districts “to fill budget gaps, address learning loss, meet the needs of students with disabilities, assist students experiencing homelessness, provide summer enrichment and after school programs, and more,” said the release. A total of $633.7 million will go to school districts in the Hudson Valley.

At the end of February, Pelham Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ proposed a $80.2 million preliminary budget for the 2021-22 school year with a 3.31% tax increase that is compliant with the state cap.

The Covid relief bill was signed by Biden on March 12.

“Everyone wants schools to reopen completely and for our children to be able to return to the classroom, but it needs to be done in a way that is safe for students, families, educators and learning institutions,” said Schumer. “Covid brought unprecedented challenges that have cost a year of learning and development for students—challenges disproportionately felt by students of color, students from low-income families, students with disabilities and more.”