MT. VERNON, IL — A little over $4-million will be coming to Mt. Vernon Township High School (MVTHS) to help support students and address learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. Those dollars come as the real impact of the pandemic on K through 12 education is still being tallied up.

The grant money is part of $7 billion dollars in total that is going to Illinois schools from the American Rescue Plan. MVTHS’ Superintendent Melanie Andrews says although $4 million goes a long way, it will go fast.

Andrews notes even though much was done to overcome educational short falls there is a long way to go to get kids caught back up. Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education recently put out a Learning Renewal Resource Guide detailing 12 strategies that districts can consider to address the pandemic’s short and long-term impacts.