BIG SPRING, TX — For the third year in a row, Big Spring ISD will be providing free school supplies to their students. pre-k through 8th grade will receive school supplies on the first day of school, and high school teachers will be given supplies in bulk in order to distribute to students as needed.
According to BSISD Superintendent Jay McWilliams, this initiative was made possible by the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, also known as ESSER. These were federal funds that were made available to public schools as part of the CARES act, which provided emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
BSISD decided to continue to provide school supplies this year because they wanted to offer some financial relief for parents. McWilliams stated that ESSER funds will continue to be available through 2024 and BSISD has plans for big projects, such as a $6 million HVAC project. Since ESSER is a grant that money eventually runs out at any time so it’s unclear if the district will be able to provide school supplies again next year.
In addition to free school supplies, BSISD will provide free lunch to students in pre-K through 8th grade, thanks to the Community Eligibility Program (CEP).
McWilliams told KBest News that high school students will still be able to get free lunches if they are eligible for CEP. In fact, McWilliams advised that during registration, all students are encouraged to apply for the program to see if they qualify for free lunch because they want to help as many students as possible.
Big Spring ISD’s first day of school is Monday, August 22nd.
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