Breakthrough Schools COVID-19 Relief
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Breakthrough Public Schools has made adjustments to continue serving our students and families during this difficult time. Breakthrough’s last day of in-school instruction was March 13th and Breakthrough began providing distance learning opportunities to students soon after. Our model education leaders and administrators immediately began constructing a plan for distance learning, with a goal to ensure that every family in our network had access to the best education possible under the circumstances. Breakthrough offered distance learning through the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and we will also offer a virtual summer school program for interested students. We cannot say at this time how much distance learning will be required for the 2020-2021 school year, but Breakthrough remains committed to providing our students with the best learning possible in any format that is required .
Our network expects significant financial uncertainties related to the pandemic, with increased expenses and decreased revenue in the coming months and years. Breakthrough expects to see reduced revenue with potential cuts in state foundation payments, funding for high-quality charters, health and wellness funding, local property tax, and casino revenue. In terms of fundraising, we also wonder about reduced individual and corporate philanthropy, as well as decreased income from major events. In the upcoming year, most of our major events will be modified or converted to virtual events, and it is unclear how revenues will be affected by the new format.
The network applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, which we hope will be forgiven by the end of the term. We are also concerned about the potential loss of revenue due to decreased enrollment, as many families may be uncomfortable sending their child back to a facility and decide to either home school or enroll in an online school. As mentioned above, there are still many unknowns about the upcoming school year, but we are planning to be as flexible as possible to ensure our students, families, and staff feel safe while also providing a high-quality education.
