Idaho students have until Friday to seek emergency funds

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho education officials say so many people have applied for federal emergency money intended to help children learn during the coronavirus pandemic that they'll stop taking new applications after Friday.

The Strong Families, Strong Students program will provide up to $1,500 per child — with a per-family maximum of $3,500 — to about 30,000 kids who need assistance purchasing educational materials, computers or other services. So far, the state has received more than 31,000 applications for nearly 79,000 students seeking the funds, the Idaho State Board of Education announced Wednesday.

“We have $50 million in funding for this program,” State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield said in a prepared statement. “If all the applications received so far meet eligibility requirements, the entire fund will be used.”

If money remains in the fund after the initial applications are processed, state officials may begin accepting new applications. But Critchfield said they will need time to figure out if that's a possibility.

The money will be awarded based first on economic need, and then based on when the applications were submitted.