American Rescue Plan: “Local Use of Funds” Plan

1. How will ARP ESSER funds be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with the most recent CDC guidance on reopening schools, in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning?

The District worked with our local health department to ensure we were safely operating our schools for in-person learning.
   - Masks were distributed and provided throughout the Pandemic to all district staff and students.
   - Everyone continued to socially distance, utilize good hand hygiene, and stay home if you were ill.
   - Our staff and custodial staff regularly disinfect surfaces within the building.
   - Permanent substitute teachers (hired through the ESCCO) assigned to each of our buildings to ensure continued learning when staff are absent.


2. How will the LEA use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year?

The District offered an expanded summer learning program in the Summer of 2022 and 2023.  The District has continued and expanded the classroom support intervention teachers at the elementary level, as needed, an intervention tool that was implemented with ESSER II funds. The District hired additional classroom teachers at the K-3 level as needed to support smaller class sizes.  


3. How will the LEA spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section 2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act?
Funds not used specifically for learning loss and safety have been and will be used to:
   - coordinate preparedness and response efforts with State, and local public health departments to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19;
   - purchase supplies to sanitize and clean the LEA's facilities;
   - employ additional custodians to clean and sanitize our buildings
   - repair and improve school facilities to reduce the risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards;
   - purchase 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;
   - conduct other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services, including continuing to employ existing or hiring new LEA and school staff


4. How will the LEA ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited to the interventions implemented under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children in foster care and migratory students?

- The Curriculum Department will continue to work with principals and teachers to identify gaps in the content standards.
- Identified standards will be incorporated into the grade level or course curriculum standards that most closely match those that were not taught previously
- Embedded Tutors will be used for Reading and Math support in each elementary school
- The Curriculum Department will continue to utilize district and state level assessment data to identify and address student learning gaps.
- Surveys regarding the learning environment needs in our district have been utilized to gather information and facilitate decision making.
- District will continue to use Canvas as it's online learning platform for classroom instruction. 
- Funds have been used to expand the Science of Reading implementation to meet the learning needs and identify learning gaps.
- Funds have been used to ensure device availability and connectivity for all students.
- Funds have been used for chromebook repairs and replacements.
- Partnership with Syntero for K-12 SEL and Counseling for both students and staff
- Embedded Mentors will be used to support students in our middle school and high school


5. Briefly describe the extent to which the LEA intends to use ARP ESSER funds to promote remote learning.

The District will continue to use Canvas as its online learning platform for hybrid and e-learning. We will also continue to ensure device availability and connectivity for all students. We will also use funds for chromebook repairs and replacements.


6. Describe the LEA’s plan for addressing learning loss by: administering and using high-quality assessments to assess students’ academic progress and meet students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction; implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students; providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment; and/or tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.

The Curriculum Department will continue to work with principals and teachers to identify gaps in the content standards. Through a series of meetings, standards have been incorporated into the grade level or course curriculum standards that most closely match those that were not taught previously. We will continue to utilize assessment data to identify and address student learning gaps.