The Broward County Public Schools board urged state leaders Friday to release more than half a billion federal dollars earmarked for the district.
"I personally don’t understand why it’s such a challenge when it’s so obvious of the needs that we have," said Dr. Rosalind Osgood, chair of Broward county’s school board.
District leaders say Broward County Public Schools is supposed to get about $509 million through the American Rescue Plan, money designated for COVID-19 recovery funds.
The money would go towards vehicles for transporting students, contact tracing, tutoring services, mental health support, campus monitors and more substitute teachers.
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The plea for funding comes after a circuit court judge made a decision to put the governor’s ban on school mask mandates back in effect.
The ruling could cut the salaries of school board members who defied the governor’s ban.
"In Broward County, we see people dying. We’re attending funerals. We see kids and staff being impacted with COVID," Osgood said. "So we’re having a real life experience where people that we love, work, and play with are dying every day and that’s our focus."
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The Department of Education announced a new grant for school districts like Broward County that face cuts due to a mask mandate.
