Eudcation officials in Kansas overseeing funding for schools say money is being spent on mental health

(AP) - Education officials overseeing the more than $1.1 billion in federal pandemic aid for Kansas schools say districts are spending much of the money to meet the mental health needs of students and staff. Districts also are hiring ``intervention specialists'' who can work one-on-one or in small groups to fill in learning gaps. They're also spending to upgrade curriculum. Since March 2020, the federal government has provided $190 billion in pandemic aid to the nation's schools, which is more than four times what the U.S. Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. In Kansas, the aid averages nearly $2,400 per student.