Polk State College said Friday it is eliminating $1.2 million in student debt, a financial burden brought on students by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 1,300 students who were enrolled between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, and had student debt have had their obligations canceled.

And any student debts incurred during this period that had been sent to collections have been eliminated, the school said.

“Polk State College recognizes that student debt is a barrier to advancement and has added to student and family burdens during the pandemic,” said Polk State College President Angela Garcia Falconetti. “The College is in the business of eliminating obstacles and opening pathways to improved quality of life. We view this as one more way to help students and our community move forward.”

Polk State College used Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) to cover the debt.

To date, the College has invested nearly $7.3 million of the nearly $18 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to Polk State. 

The college said it is continuing to explore options to apply COVID relief funds to alleviate financial burdens for students brought on by the public health emergency.