Bettendorf School District gets grant for therapeutic classrooms

The Bettendorf Community School District will receive grant funding from the Iowa Department of Education for therapeutic learning classrooms and services for its students.

The Department of Education will be give half a million dollars to the district.

“There will be support and interventions in place to help students with regulation skills, social behavioral skills, and connecting with a caring adult,” said Sarah Harris, a social, emotional, and behavioral health coordinator.

“It’s more like having some systems in place that follow the student everywhere, but there’s a space for regulation.” Harris said. “It’s startup funds So we really have the opportunity this year and next year to get going with training and supporting staff, families, to make sure we have an opportunity to have this go into effect in the next year, to three years.”

Harris and the school district say not every student can thrive in the classroom, linking mental health needs to looking at innovative ways to help students.

The Department of Education will split $2.3 million across six school districts in Iowa for the same purpose. Other districts include Atlantic, Iowa City, Johnston, Newton, and Vinton-Shellsburg Community School Districts.

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