Kentucky's plan for $611 million in school spending approved

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s plan to use its final $611 million batch of funds from the American Rescue Plan to support full-time, in-person learning during the pandemic has won federal approval. The state also plans to use the money to support social-emotional learning and mental health programs, professional development in literacy instruction for educators and staff, technical assistance to implement accelerated-learning summer programs, and a new summer enrichment program with AmeriCorps focused on outdoor environmental education. In total, the Kentucky Department of Education will have received $2 billion total in federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act.