Eudcation officials in Kansas overseeing funding for schools say money is being spent on mental health

(AP) – Education officials overseeing the more than $1.1 billion in federal pandemic aid for Kansas schools say districts are spending much of the money to meet the mental health needs of students and staff. Districts also are hiring “intervention specialists” who can work one-on-one or in small groups to fill in learning gaps. They’re also spending to upgrade curriculum. Since March 2020, the federal government has provided $190 billion in pandemic aid to the nation’s schools, which is more than four times what the U.S. Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. In Kansas, the aid averages nearly $2,400 per student.