Montgomery County approves using over $650,000 in CARES funds to help local school districts

Montgomery County school districts will be partially reimbursed for costs associated with acquiring devices and hot spots for remote learning following an Aug. 26 Commissioners Court meeting.

Montgomery County commissioners approved interlocal agreements between the county and Conroe, Montgomery, Splendora and Willis ISDs to reimburse 50% of the districts’ portion of order costs using CARES funds. As of Aug. 26, commissioners were waiting on Magnolia ISD to submit an application, and New Caney ISD had not yet submitted one.

CISD will receive $341,000, SISD will receive $76,950 and MISD will receive $241,285, County Judge Mark Keough said. Officials did not have the exact number on hand for the amount WISD will receive because the district had reportedly submitted its application late, but Keough’s chief of staff, Jason Millsaps, said it was less than what MISD received.

Commissioners also voted to give Keough the ability to enter into similar agreements with other Montgomery County school districts if other districts choose to apply.

School districts have reported difficulties in obtaining enough devices and hot spots for students as they begin their school year online. MISD, for instance, reported nearly 2,000 students were in need of laptops as of early August.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador said he was pleased with the item but that he wished more financial assistance could be given to schools. Keough said they could discuss the latter in later meetings.

“This is great, and I think it’s something that needs to be done for every school district,” Meador said. “But I still think they’ve been out a lot of money. ... I’d like to see us give each school district another half-million dollars.”