Peabody Schools May Need To Spend $95,000 Per Week On PPE

PEABODY, MA — Outfitting students, staff and teachers with personal protective equipment when schools reopen could cost Peabody Public Schools more than $95,000 per week, according to cost estimates on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Website.

That's about the average annual salary of a school administrator in Massachusetts. Stretched out over a 36-week school year, Peabody Public Schools could end up spending more than $3.4 million on masks, gowns, face shields and hand sanitizer for its 5,900 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 Peabody, the cost of obtaining that supply will be more approximately $1.1 million.

Superintendents are expecting more guidance this week from Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley about reopening in the fall. But earlier this month, Riley sent them guidance that included the number of supplies they would need on hand.

Riley said at the time the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is releasing federal money to school districts to help them purchase the safety equipment. "We are issuing this guidance on key safety supplies now so that districts can begin the ordering process for critical items that may be harder to procure," Riley said.

The department also gave districts spreadsheets with the average prices for each item, ranging from nine cents for each pair of disposable gloves to $1.02 for each face mask. Those spreadsheets are aimed at helping districts estimate the cost of the new protocols.