Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) announced Tuesday that families may be eligible for a $7,000 grant as part of a new program aimed at assisting families facing "educational jobs and hurdles" as a result of school closures.
The Arizona Department of Economic Security has allowed the use of funds obtained through the Open for Learning Recovery Benefit program for daycare jobs, transportation, tutoring, and school tuition needs.
If their school closes for even one day, families that fulfill certain financial standards could use the money to send their children to another school.
"In Arizona, we’re going to ensure continued access to in-person learning," Ducey said in a press release. "Everyone agrees that schools should stay open and kids need to be in the classroom. With this announcement, we are making sure parents and families have options if a school closes its doors. Parents are best suited to make decisions about their child’s education."
"In-person learning is vital for the development, well-being and educational needs of K-12 students," he continued. "We will continue to work with families, public health experts and school leaders to ensure our kids can stay in the classroom and parents have a choice — always."
Ducey proposed a plan in March 2021 that would require schools to resume in-person education. President Joe Biden, White House medical assistants jobs senior adviser Anthony Fauci, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona have all expressed support for continuing in-person study after the holidays.
However, according to the community event website Burbio's public school opening tracker, more than 3,200 schools across the country are closed this week due to a recent rise in COVID cases fuelled by the highly contagious omicron form.
A number of teachers unions in Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, and elsewhere are pressing for even more school cancellations owing to rising coronavirus diagnoses, citing health concerns.
However, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2021 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, despite schools reopening for in-person learning, there was "little evidence" that schools "contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission."
