‘Going to be quite pricey’: Las Cruces prepares to purchase PPE for school kids

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- As students rush purchase school supplies for the fall semester, administrators are rushing to buy personal protective equipment during the pandemic.

“It’s really hard to put a price on it, but it’s going to be quite pricey," said Gabe Jacquez, the deputy superintendent of operations for Las Cruces Public Schools. "But we believe that if our kids aren’t healthy and safe and our staff aren’t healthy and safe, really we can’t get to the ultimate goal of educating them.”

Earlier this week, New Mexico's Public Education Department announced schools will have a "hybrid learning model" in the fall with in-person attendance limited to 50% of classroom capacity.

Jacquez told ABC-7 he estimates the district will likely spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal protective equipment, with plans to purchase:

• Face coverings
• Disinfectant supplies
• Hand sanitizer
• Thermometers
• Plexiglass barriers
• Face shields

“We are facing some challenging times as we go into the Covid era," admitted Ray Jaramillo, the school board member representing district one. "I believe we are going to need additional funding, not less funding to make sure that we have the proper (personal protective equipment) for all of our staff."

In last week's emergency special session, the New Mexico Legislature cut funding for K-12 Education by one percent as the state faces a budget shortfall. Jacquez told ABC-7 that the district may have to dip into reserves, but said that "we're in a really good place."

A district spokeswoman confirmed that LCPS also has close to $4 million in funds from the CARES Act that can be spent over the next 2 years as well as cash reserves that can help offset additional costs.

"We're going to be alright this year," Jacquez said.

"I know that our district is taking the necessary steps so we take a 'safety for all' approach," said Jaramillo.