The costs of COVID-19 are hammering the budgets of schools.
A spot-check of four east-metro school districts shows they will spend at least $23 million on COVID-related costs through the end of this year. Officials are alarmed at the expenses involved with distance learning, sanitizing, masks and plastic shields.
“It is a lot,” said Pepe Barton, spokesman for the South Washington County School District.
The costs are difficult to compare because not all districts have reported them and they cover different time periods. Some costs are compensated by various government programs.
But at a minimum, the projected COVID costs for St. Paul, Stillwater, South Washington County and Inver Grove Heights schools combined will be $23 million in 2020 – and they could easily be double that amount.
School spending on COVID prevention exploded in March, after the pandemic forced a state-wide lockdown of businesses and public spaces.
St. Paul Public Schools spent $12.3 million on COVID costs through June 30, according to spokesman Kevin Burns.
That was for only four months of the pandemic. The district’s expenses included personnel costs, disinfection equipment, hand sanitizer, plexiglass dividers and some personal protective equipment including masks.
The expenses are equal to 5 percent of district’s entire $248 million budget for the 2019-20 school year.
The Stillwater Area Public Schools has spent about $4.9 million, according to the agenda of an Aug. 20 School Board meeting.
Those expenses included:
- $1.5 million for hiring 33 custodians for additional cleaning and sanitizing.
- $1.2 million for 11 classroom teachers.
- Other costs for handling COVID medical cases and tech support for distance learning.
The South Washington County Schools district breaks down expenses differently. Combining past expenses and projected costs through 2020, the district anticipates spending at least $4.6 million.
Barton, the district spokesman, expects that $3.9 million will be covered by federal stimulus grants from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, and the Community Reinvestment Fund.
The district has already spent $714,000 in other COVID-related expenses.
From March through December 2020, the district is expected to pay:
- More than $1.8 million in salaries and staff-related costs for teachers, translators and mental health services.
- $1.4 million in hardware and software for distance learning.
- $1.4 million in miscellaneous expenses, including $1 million in equipment and $217,000 for sanitizers.
COVID — the sneak-attack virus — is finding sly ways to hurt school budgets. The virus has slashed income from community education, school lunches and football games, according to Barton.
Inver Grove Heights Schools anticipates $3.2 million in COVID costs for two school years.
Those costs are relatively low, said spokeswoman Katie Sheridan-Rose, because a 2017 referendum supported technology for distance learning — perfectly timed for the pandemic.
“We are extremely lucky,” said Sheridan-Rose.