A new analysis from the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum (WPF) found that the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) spent roughly $70.6 million, or $2,796.87 per student, in federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funds over the four and a half years they were available, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.
The majority of that money, around $36.1 million, funded what state education officials call “addressing long-term school closure,” or items like purchasing and distributing tablets and other virtual learning resources, expanding academic support services and providing meals.
The next-largest expenditure, about $26.9 million, supported preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak. That category initially included cleaning protocols, physical distancing plans, employee training and safety supplies and later added “greater spending on district buildings and capital projects,” according to the WPF report.
Statewide, districts received around $2.3 billion in federal pandemic aid through four separate spending packages. Money was required to be allocated or spent by Sept. 30, 2024.
