Author: Sam Buisman

UW Madison is set to receive nearly $4 million to offset coronavirus costs as part of a new state relief program.

Through a Wednesday afternoon press release, Governor Tony Evers announced that the state will direct over $80 million to its K-12 and post-secondary schools to pay for unexpected COVID-19 costs. From this $80 million total, over $3.9 million have been allocated for UW Madison.

Addressing this program in a press release, Governor Tony Evers described it as an essential measure as the fight against COVID-19 continues.

“I’ve always said what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state,” wrote Evers, “so I am hopeful this funding can help alleviate expenses already incurred and further creative efforts to transition between in-person learning and distance learning seamlessly as we prepare for the upcoming fall semester and continue to fight COVID-19 in Wisconsin.”

The state has portioned $46.6 million for Wisconsin’s K-12 schools and a total of $37 million for its colleges, universities and technical schools. Of that $37 million, $2 million will be directed towards Wisconsin’s tribal colleges, with the remaining $35 million formulaically divided amongst the remaining schools based on their number of Pell Grant recipients.

The state government sourced these funds from the $1.17 billion in federal funding Wisconsin received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act.

Wisconsin has also used CARES Act funds to cover COVID-19 cots for its hospitals and farmers and to sustain its statewide testing regime.