IPBS

Indiana opens applications for second round of state learning recovery funds

IPB News | By Jeanie Lindsay

Published October 22, 2021 at 6:02 PM EDT

Individual grant awards ranged from several thousand to several million dollars to support students' academic recovery in communities across the state. (FILE PHOTO: WFIU/WTIU)

Listen to the radio version of this story as it aired on Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations.

Indiana is once again accepting grant applications from community groups and schools, targeted at catch-up programs for students who fell behind academically because of COVID-19.

State lawmakers approved $150 million for the Student Learning Recovery Grant Program earlier this year, with the goal to fund out-of-school programs helping students make up for lost learning time during the pandemic – the 2021-22 school year is the third one disrupted by COVID-19.

The state distributed more than $122 million for the first round of recipients this summer. Groups received grant money to provide services like new after-school tutoring, and expand existing programs aimed at improving students' reading and math skills.

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More than $101 million of the first-round funding will support academic support programs until 2023, with most of the multi-year awards going to non-profits or other community-based organizations.

There's not as much funding available for the second round of grant awards – the state has a total of $27.5 million left for the program.

Applications close Nov. 28, and more information about the grant application requirements can be found on the department's website.

Contact reporter Jeanie at jlindsa@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @jeanjeanielindz.