The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) returned previously withheld money to the Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) following a months-long mask policy battle.
This week the district received $194,720 from the FDOE, the amount withheld due to the School Board of Alachua County implementing a face-mask mandate in August that the state said countered the Parents’ Bill of Rights because it did not include a parental opt-out.
ACPS dropped its student mask mandate on Nov. 18, leading to the FDOE’s decision to refund the money. On Sept. 23, the U.S. Education Department awarded the ACPS $148,000 through its Project SAFE grant program to reimburse the school districts funding withheld by the state.
“We had received the federal check, but had not yet deposited it when we got the money back from the state, so we went back the federal check,” said ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson in an email. “But we very much appreciate the support we got from the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Miguel Cardona during the past few months. It was good to know they had our backs while we did what we knew was necessary to protect everyone in our schools.”
Previous stories related to this article:
- ACPS drops student mask mandate (Nov. 18)
- SBAC votes to comply with state (Nov. 10)
- SBAC keeps student mask policy until Dec. 6 (Nov. 2)
- Attorney warns SBAC to comply on masks (Nov. 2)
- SBAC: Petitioners lack standing to stop mask mandate (Oct. 11)
- SBAC adjusts mask policy for high schoolers (Oct. 5)
- Simon summoned to Board of Education meeting (Oct. 5)
- Parents file petition against SBAC mask policy (Oct. 4)
- ACPS dismisses effort to stop mask enforcement (Sept. 29)
- Feds reimburse ACPS for garnished wages (Sept. 23)
- New surgeon general alters school COVID policies (Sept. 22)
- Federal judge upholds DeSantis mask order (Sept. 17)
- Appeals court reinstates school mask mandate ban (Sept. 10)
- Judge vacates stay, allows school mask mandate (Sept. 8)
- SBAC files court challenge to FDOH emergency rule (Sept. 4)
- Judge: State cannot garnish school board wages (Sept. 2)
- FDOE garnishes school board wages (Aug. 31)
- Judge blocks DeSantis ban on mask mandates (Aug. 27)
- ACPS sticks to mask policy as state deadline passes (Aug. 22)
- Simon rebuffs state order to alter mask policy (Aug. 20)
- Judge will hear case against DeSantis face mask order (Aug. 19)
- SBAC extends face mask mandate for 8 more weeks (Aug. 17)
- McNealy, Simon respond to FDOE as court date nears (Aug. 11)
- State launches investigation into ACPS mask policy (Aug. 10)
- Legal filings take aim at school mask mandate ban (Aug. 8)
- DeSantis dings SBAC for requiring masks (Aug. 5)
- School board: Masks on students for first two weeks (Aug. 3)
- DeSantis: School mask mandate equals loss of fund (July 31)