The city Department of Education is shelling out at least $12 million to pay for extra teachers to help maintain social-di🌠stancing protocols this school year, documents show.
More than 100 schools requested extra teachers to staff additional classes made necessary by the coronavirus safeguard, acc♍ording to a DOE memorﷺandum.
Thus far, the schools have given awarded $11,9♋44,931 in COVID-19 relief funds to pay for substitu🌳te teachers.
The DOE has instructed principals that they are mandated to maintain 3 feet of distance between students as part of their coronavirus prevention program.
That edict has been a challenge for s♛ome administrators, who have had to split up classes and expand schedules to accommodate it.
The DOE has 🐼said schools are required to social distance and may use areas such as 🃏gyms and cafeterias to help them adhere to the measure.
“This allocation [of funds] is based on staffing needs requested by principals and confirmed by the Borough/Citywide Office,” the department document states.
IS 7 Elias Bernstein 🔯on Staten Island, which enrolls roughly 1,200 kids, has been awarded the largest sum so far at $440,087.
Sources said the figure is expected to grow as the school yearജ progresses and other staffing needs become ap🥃parent.
The monies are coming out of the federal American Rescue Plan Act thౠat assists with corona𝓡virus-related spending.