We are seeking your input on how to spend approximately $15 million grant funds over the next four years
Posted on 07/03/2021
The Schenectady City School District has been awarded federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are called the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSR). These grant funds will allow the district to spend an approximate additional $15 million over the next four school years (2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025). Careful planning for use of these funds is important because the funding will not continue after the 2024-2025. This means we must be thoughtful about how we will sustain any programs and services that are put in place for our students.
There are restrictions on some of the funds and requirements that the funds be directed toward:
- Addressing the impact Coronavirus has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools
- Reopening schools, recovering and moving forward safely
- Preventing, preparing for, and responding to the Coronavirus pandemic
- Expanding and enhancing academic intervention services
- Mitigating learning loss, preparing schools for reopening and testing
- Repairing and upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings
- Providing summer enrichment and afterschool programs
- Meeting the needs of students with disabilities
- Assisting students experiencing homelessness
- Filling budget gaps
Resources:
We are seeking your feedback
The Schenectady City School District is seeking stakeholder feedback to help guide the development of the ARP ESSER Budget for the 2021-2025 School Years.
The purpose of this survey is to provide parents, teachers, staff and community members an opportunity to provide input on how funds should be utilized to meet the needs of SCSD students. This information will only be used to create a general application for the funds which will be submitted to the NYS Education Department. Because NYSED must also prepare an application to the US Department of Education (DOE), the timeline is short and no extensions will be given past July 15, 2021.
There will be future opportunities to provide input and for the district to amend our application and appropriation of funds.
Please participate by completing the survey here.