ARP ESSER Funds Allocation Plan for North Pekin-Marquette Heights #102

Data shows that the pandemic has had a significant impact on student learning, both across the country and in our school districts. As a result, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) was signed into law in March by President Joe Biden and included $122 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for school districts across the country, which is the single largest investment in federal elementary and secondary education in the nation’s history. District 102 is slated by ISBE to receive a portion of that funding. Funds may be used for allowable expenditures through Sept. 30, 2024.

In August 2021 North Pekin Marquette Heights District 102 launched a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process to help determine how it should potentially spend additional federal dollars to address COVID-19 recovery, including unfinished learning and COVID prevention and mitigation practices. All parents, district employees, students and community members were urged to complete a survey to help the district determine what to prioritize with the potential ESSER funds. Though school districts are limited in what they can use portions of the ESSER funds to support, there is also a percentage of the funding that can be used at the discretion of the District when addressing the impact of COVID-19 on its schools. Stakeholder input was taken into consideration when developing an allocation plan for ESSER III funds.

Are the ESSER III funds required to be used for specific purposes?

Yes, NPMH 102 per grant guidelines must expend a minimum of 20 percent of their grant funds to address “the academic impact of lost instructional time” (aka learning loss). District 102 can spend these funds on:

1. Evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning, extended day
   comprehensive after school programs, or extended school year programs;
   and

2. Ensure interventions respond to students’ academic, social, emotional and
   mental health needs and address the disproportionate impact of
   coronavirus on student populations as defined in ESEA, Title I, Part A,
   students experiencing homelessness, students with disabilities, migratory
   students and youth in foster care.

Are there recommended uses of ESSER III funds that will assist school districts in addressing the impact of the COVID pandemic and disruptions leading to learning loss?

While keeping in mind the purpose and requirements under ESSER III related to accelerating student learning, it is strongly encouraged that school systems plan how to use these "one-time" federal funds expeditiously over the entire covered period to facilitate a more comprehensive long-term approach to learning acceleration. This process may include aligned strategies that are currently part of our District’s current plans and strategies. Refer to the below list for examples:

• Professional Development: comprehensive instructional support, high-quality instructional materials, disabilities training, social emotional training, professional development stipends, technology integration training;

• Extended Instructional Time: extended day, high-dosage tutoring, summer learning;

• Staffing: tutoring, staff retention and recruitment incentive pay, after school enrichment programs, instructional coaching and leadership;

• Facilities: ventilation, cleaning, HVAC systems, specialized instructional spaces;

• Technology: devices, infrastructure upgrades, learning management systems, digital tools, educational applications;

• Mental Health and Behavioral Supports: social workers, at-risk coordinators, additional counseling services, teacher training and programming, wrap-around and community partnerships.

ARP ESSER Funds Allocation Plan for North Pekin-Marquette Heights #102

Per ISBE, each school district that receives ARP ESSER funds must develop a plan for its use of ARP ESSER funds and submit it to ISBE within 90 days of funds being received. School districts must provide the public opportunity to provide input on the plan, take such input into account and post the ARP ESSER plan on its website. Input was solicited through a survey made available to students, staff, parents and community members.

ESSER Allocation Plan for FY22-FY24

ESSER II Projected Allocation = $361,632

ESSER II Projected Expenditures:

·        Installation, labor, and capital outlay for middle school HVAC upgrade

ARP ESSER III Projected Allocation = $847,439

ARP ESSER III Projected Expenditures:

·         K-8 Curriculum & Instructional Materials = $67,066

·         After-School Tutoring = $5,011

·         Summer Tutoring = $5,011

·         Professional Development Targeting Learning Loss & Social/Emotional Learning = $25,056

·         Communications Upgrades = $48,315

·         Infrastructure Improvements to support online learning = $13,149

·         COVID Performance Pay for District Employees = $43,320

·         Installation, labor, and capital outlay for middle school HVAC upgrade = $527,268

·         Academic and SEL Intervention = $113,243

*20% ESSER III must be allocated to learning loss. Items with a (*) target learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning and other intervention systems that respond to students’ academic, social and emotional needs in relation to COVID-19.