KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knox County Schools received money to help classrooms fund efforts to jumpstart post-pandemic learning across the area.
Education leaders gathered at Cedar Bluff Elementary School on Thursday to celebrate $225,000 total in grants heading to schools. Around $10,000 in funds will go to support the KCS Teacher Supply Depot and $5,000 will go to the KCS Clothing Center.
The rest will go directly to schools, officials said. Elementary schools will get money to support literacy and mathematics lessons, while also helping teachers and staff develop their skills. Middle schools will get money to help students transition into 6th grade and 9th grade too.
High schools will get money to help students get ready for higher education, transition into 9th grade and learn algebra skills along with funding to help teachers.
"Coming off of two years of the pandemic and learning loss and students falling behind, we wanted an innovative approach to basically get as much money directly into the classroom and teachers as possible," said Chris Letsos, Knox Education Foundation CEO.
He said the group usually gives out around $100,000 in grants per year, and he said he was excited to be able to give out more than double that. He said principals and their teams will be able to decide how to specifically use the funds to support students.
He said some funding from the grants is being given to every school in the district.