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The Dewey Public Schools Board of Education held a discussion this week on its mid-year state aid adjustment and CARES Act II federal funding.

Superintendent Vince Vincent said he believes approximately 80-percent of schools in Oklahoma received a reduction in state aid at mid-year. He said Dewey Public Schools saw a $90,000 reduction for the school year.

That in mind, Superintendent Vincent said they made adjustments before the school year started because they knew they were going to be coming off of their three year high and that they would be starting the school year with reduced funding anyway. He said DPS is going to be fine and there's no doubt that they'll weather the storm.

Vincent said they received $193,000 in CARES Act funding that has helped Dewey Schools fill in a lot of gaps this year. He said it has certainly helped them cover any of the deficits that they were going to see, as they've spent 82-percent of that money to this point. The school nurse's salary is being carried out the remainder of the year, which will close out that federal funding.

When it comes to CARES Act II federal funding, Vincent said Dewey Schools will receive $826,000. Vincent said this is money that could be claimed all the way through Saturday, Sept. 30th, 2023. He said they Board has time to plan ahead, see where their needs are and see how the money can assist the district.

Vincent said he does not anticipate that they would be utilizing much, if any, of the CARES Act II federal funding this fiscal year. He said he anticipates these funds being used more for the next two fiscal years that lie ahead. He said they'll keep having conversations about these funds in regards to educational and pandemic needs.