Galesburg Reporter

Like their counterparts throughout Illinois and the nation, Galesburg schools switched from traditional in-person learning to virtual or distance learning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Galesburg Community Unit School District 205’s transition to e-learning revealed that close to 400 students did not have devices while about 150 lack an internet connection, according to Superintendent John Asplund.

That was where the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act came into play. The federal relief package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump addresses the effects of the outbreak. Specifically, it allocated $1.5 million to Galesburg schools to help them carry out their remote learning plan and improve technological access for students.

Centralillinoisproud.com reported that Illinois received approximately $570 million for pre-k through 12th-grade schools as part of the CARES Act in order to launch a remote learning plan on March 31.

Asplund told The Register-Mail the district intended to reduce the number of students affected by the digital divide to zero. Another major priority was expanding internet access in the community, including using district buses to provide mobile hotspots. Such hotspots would allow students to download necessary classroom materials to work on while at home. The district sought to eventually have five external hotspots to its facilities and three mobile hotspots.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on April 17 officially suspended in-person learning at schools for the rest of the academic year. 

Galesburg CUSD 205 is also considering alternatives to high school graduation ceremonies. According to The Register-Mail, Asplund expressed his determination to have an in-person ceremony “whenever that is.”