PSS awarded over $23M from CARES Act

The Public School System was officially awarded over $23 million from the Education Stabilization fund they have long been waiting for under the CARES Act.

According to a statement from PSS acting Finance chief Kimo Rosario, PSS was awarded the funding and would receive the funds once the drawdown process is completed.

“Yes, PSS was awarded but the drawdown process still needs to take place,” he said.

Tim Thornburgh, PSS Federal Programs manager, said in last Wednesday’s Board of Education special board meeting that PSS can expect the process to be completed as soon as this Friday and the funds can be expected in PSS’ accounts as early as next week.

Rosario reiterated that the funds received from the Education Stabilization Fund will be used to cover two critical areas—retiring PSS’ fiscal year 2020 deficit and for preparations of next school year. Any remaining funds will be carried forward to augment PSS’ next fiscal year budget.

PSS still needs to pay off the remaining $1.4 million to personnel for missed pay periods, which were pay period 9 and 10.

“PSS paid our teachers in full for pay periods 8 and 9. [However], other employees [were paid] for pay period 8 only. Pay period 8 was 80 hours, pay period 9 was for 72 hours, and pay period 10 is for 16 hours,” Rosario said.

PSS will also retire their debt with their vendors and contractors and that is equivalent to approximately $1.7 million. “Our accounts payable—or what we owe vendors and contractors—is at $1.7 million. We will also retire this outstanding obligation,” he said.

PSS will also settle its debt with teachers for their summer pay; that totals about $3.4 million.

“We also still owe our 190-day contract employees their summer pay, which amounts to $3.4 million. PSS will also settle this debt,” he said.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said last week that the U.S. Department of Education informed him that it made a “calculation error” when dividing $27,940,945 in CARES Act Education Stabilization Funds between PSS and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. After recalculation, funding for public schools increased from $22.4 million to $23.2 million. Funds provided to the Governor for Emergency Education Relief were cut from $5.6 million to $4.8 million.