Summary and Opportunity for Stakeholder Feedback
The District must utilize available federal stimulus funding to respond to the pandemic and address student learning loss as a result of COVID-19 by providing evidence-based interventions such as summer learning/enrichment, extended day, comprehensive after school programs, or extended school year programs. The plan must address students’ academic, social, and emotional needs especially for those students experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and other student sub-groups. A public hearing will be held on Monday, June 7 at 6:30pm with a live ThoughtExchange for staff, students, and community members to provide feedback.
Details
In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as the ARP Act, was signed into law. In the ARP Act, $122 billion was dedicated to the Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief (ESSER) funds. This grant is known as ARP Act ESSER III. The intent and purpose of the ARP Act ESSER III education funding is to help safely open and sustain operation of schools to address the impact of coronavirus on students. A previous grant was passed in December 2020 called the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. This grant is also known as the CRRSAA ESSER II Fund.
- ARP ESSER III: American Rescue Plan Act
Section 2001 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act; enacted March 11, 2021.
- CRRSAA ESSER II Fund: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act
Section 313 of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act; enacted December 27, 2020.
Sherburne-Earlville’s district statement of assurances was submitted to NYSED on May 13, 2021 in advance of the May 24, 2021 deadline.
Grant Obligations
ARP and CRRSAA funds may be used for costs dated back to March 13, 2020, when the national emergency was declared. Furthermore, funds will be awarded and allocated by NYSED within one year of receipt.
SECSD Allocations and Timeframes
Please note districts will have more time to fully expend funds.
- ARP: $408,802 which SECSD must spend by June 30, 2022
- CRRSAA: $249,690 which SECSD must spend by June 30, 2022
- NYSED Application Deadline: NYSED requires application submission by June 15, 2021
Leadership and Governance Action Definition
Application for funding shall be submitted and approved through NYSED. Funds are expended through the Special Aid Fund. Reporting is required. Funds are available for obligations through September 30, 2022.
Stakeholder Input and Publicly Available: Stakeholder input will be gathered during the application process in various ways such as meetings, surveys, and ThoughtExchange. A public hearing will be held on Monday, June 7 at 6:30pm with a live ThoughtExchange for staff, students, and community members to provide feedback. Students, families, teachers, administrators, other school staff, and community members will be given the opportunity to provide input as the plan is developed. The plan will be reviewed at Board of Education meetings prior to approval and the approved plan will be posted on the District website.
ARP
Ninety-percent (90%) of the total ARP ESSER allocation must be awarded to districts by NYSED within 60 days after NYS receives the funds. The District must reserve not less than twenty-percent (20%) of the total ARP ESSER allocation to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, (such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive after school programs, or extended school year programs).
The District must ensure to respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups. The remaining funds may be used for hiring of new staff and avoiding layoffs, addressing learning loss, preparing schools for reopening, and the testing, repair and upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings.
CRRSAA
Funds will be disbursed within one year of NYS receiving them, which will be January 2022. Funds may be used for hiring of new staff and avoiding layoffs, addressing learning loss, preparing schools for reopening, and testing, repairing and upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings.
Allowable Uses for ARP and CRRSAA
- Coordinating preparedness and response efforts with State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19;
- Training and professional development on sanitizing and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases; Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the LEA’s facilities;
- Repairing and improving school facilities to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards; Improving indoor air quality;
- Addressing the needs of children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth;
- Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of LEAs; Planning for or implementing activities during long-term closures, including providing meals to eligible students and providing technology for online learning;
- Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, connectivity, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment) for students that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including students from low-income families and children with disabilities;
- Providing mental health services and supports, including through the implementation of evidence-based, full-service community schools and the hiring of counselors;
- Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental after-school programs; Addressing learning loss; and
- Other activities that are necessary to maintain operation of and continuity of and services, including continuing to employ existing or hiring new LEA and school staff.
Posted 6/4/2021