STANFORD, Ky ( LEX 18) — The worst homework assignment of the year usually takes place before school starts, and it’s not something any student usually tackles.
Buying school supplies can be time-consuming while creating a big dent in the budget. But in Lincoln County, it’s not a concern and hasn’t been since 2020.
“Myself and the superintendent came up with an idea of supplying all of the school supplies for all of the kids in the district,” said Lee Ann Smith, the district’s finance director.
Using government-backed "ESSER Funds" from 2020, the Lincoln school district has been outfitting each of the more than 3,000 students there with school supplies for the last three years, and that’ll continue this fall.
“It’s a blessing,” said Lindsay Lawson a parent of five children in the district.
“Easily, at least, $100,” (per child) she said of how much it cost to do school supplies in 2019, the last time she had to do the shopping herself.
“Everything has pretty much tripled since then, so it would be, I don’t even want to think about it. It’s a blessing, I can’t say it enough,” she continued.
The ESSER Funds money will be depleted after this school year. It costs roughly $80,000 to buy all of those supplies for everyone, but the hope is they can find the money to continue the initiative beyond this year. Lee Ann said she’s already talked with the incoming superintendent, Bruce Smith about doing just that.
“Hopefully, maybe you’ll be back here next year and we’ll be telling our families of Lincoln County that they’re getting their school supplies again,” Smith said.
Smith said the program offers a considerable advantage to both students and teachers alike.
“All kids having school supplies puts them on an equal playing field,” she said, before noting it allows the teachers to dive right in on day one, without worrying if some of the students aren’t fully equipped.
