OPI reports $29 million in COVID funds already disbursed to schools

HELENA — On Friday, the Montana Office of Public Instruction delivered an update to the state Board of Public Education about the status of federal COVID-19 relief funds for K-12 schools. According to the figures presented by OPI Chief Financial Officer David Williams, Montana has so far expended roughly $29 million of the $593 million allocated through a trio of laws passed by Congress since the onset of the pandemic.

The bulk of the relief funding disbursed to schools so far came from the original CARES Act passed in March 2020. Williams informed the board that OPI has spent close to $25 mil...