According to the US Department of Education, Ohio colleges and universities received nearly $1.2 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan over the last year, at least half of which was used to provide direct financial relief to students to continue their education during the pandemic.

Over $34 million went to the state's two Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and roughly $305 million went to the state's community colleges. 

According to the report, Ohio State University received $115,371,387, Kent State University $63,870,126, Ohio University $52,817,422, the University of Akron $40,053,45, Cuyahoga Community College $43,449,775 and Lorain County Community College $20,429,355 were among the recipients.

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According to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, the American Rescue Plan provided $39.6 billion to the nation's colleges and universities, making it one of the most significant educational investments ever made by the federal government. He claimed that the money helped students cope with the financial uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic's economic disruptions.

“The higher education emergency relief funds provided through the American Rescue plan have ensured that students -- including our undocumented students, which is really important -- they could enroll, they could continue their education, they could pursue careers and the American dream,” Cardona told reporters in a phone call to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the bill’s passage and signing as part of a weeklong drive to highlight its benefits.

According to Cardona, the money allowed 93 percent of colleges to provide direct emergency aid to students on the verge of dropping out, and 88 per cent used it for COVID-19 tests, health screenings, and other public health needs.

According to Gene Sperling, the White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator and Senior Advisor to the President, 81 percent of college presidents. Who responded to an American Council on Education survey said that the money helped them keep costs down for students, pay their staff and faculty, and pay for safety measures, in addition to providing direct aid to students.

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He said aid provided by the American Rescue Plan kept the sort of “economic scarring” that occurred after the deep recession of the 1980s from happening to this generation’s young people and undermining their lifetime earning potential. He said that in examining the money that went to each state, “you will see that community colleges are really getting significant amounts.

“It really goes to show that this is really going to where the students are,” said Sperling.