Danvers Schools Will Ask State To Reimburse PPE Costs

DANVERS, MA — Facing costs as much as $56,000 per week for safety equipment to reopen schools, the Danvers School Committee will consider a resolution Monday calling for state aide.

"Whereas, the state cannot expect mandatory COVID-19 safety guidelines to be followed without also ensuring that each school district has the funds required to implement these guidelines; therefore, let it be resolved: that the state must guarantee every school district full reimbursement for whatever COVID-19 expenses are required to follow state mandates," a draft of the resolution reads.

See the draft of the resolution the Danvers School committee will consider Monday.

Outfitting students, staff and teachers with personal protective equipment when schools reopen could cost Danvers Public Schools more than $56,000 per week, according to cost estimates on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Website.

That's about the average annual salary of an entry-level classroom teacher in Massachusetts. Stretched out over a 36-week school year, Danvers Public Schools could end up spending more than $2 million on masks, gowns, face shields and hand sanitizer for its 3,400 students and their teachers.

While the actual number will likely be lower, based on attendance and stockpiling of unused supplies from week-to-week, the department is requiring all school districts to have a 12-week supply on hand when schools resume. For Danvers, the cost of obtaining that supply will be more approximately $672,000.

Dave Copeland covers Danvers and other North Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).