By Dian Schaffhauser
05/27/21
The U.S.
Department of Education has released guidance
on how ESSER and GEER relief funding may be spent. There are few
limits on how schools can spend the money allocated through the
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund,
including the American Rescue Plan ESSER (ARP ESSER) program and the
Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. The big caveat:
There needs to be a link to helping students, educators, staff and
families emerge from the impacts of COVID-19. Among the findings
contained in the 61-page frequently-asked questions document are
these nuggets:
ARP ESSER the third and latest ESSER requires that school districts
Every South County school district will be using an influx of federal money over the next three years to address challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, in what one local school leader is calling a “once-in-a-generation opportunity for schools.”
Like county and municipal governments that received federal CARES Act funds to mitigate the pandemic, school districts across the country have also received federal funds called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER.
The federal government has passed three relief packages in response to COVID-19 since March 2020, including support for elementary and secondary education.
The legislation amounts to more than $193 billion in aid to schools, with the majority of relief funds disbursed based on Title 1, the funds districts receive based on percentage of low-income students.
TRENTON – State education officials have completed work on a draft plan for spending a windfall in federal coronavirus pandemic recovery funds, including the distribution of nearly $2.5 billion in funds directly to local districts.
People have until next Thursday, June 3, to email public comments on the 57-page draft plan. The final version of the plan has to be submitted to the Biden administration by the state on June 7.
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“You will see that our proposal would leverage these federal funds to meaningfully boost school district capacity to develop and implement high-quality interventions that address the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of students and educators,” said acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan.
From USA TODAY Network and wire reports
Alabama
Montgomery: Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed legislation banning so-called vaccine passports, making Alabama the latest state to try to prohibit requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to enter a business, school or event. The legislation by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would prohibit government entities from issuing “vaccine or immunization passports” or other “standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying immunization status.” The bill makes exemptions for child immunization forms and “other applicable state law.” It would also prevent people from being denied entry to businesses, universities and state agencies if not vaccinated against COVID-19. The legislation does not specify a penalty for violations. The state House stripped language that would have exempted health offices and nursing homes and added that universities cannot require students to have vaccines developed after Jan. 1, 2021. “I am supportive