INITIAL ARP-ESSER PLAN INFORMATION

The 2021-22 enacted state budget includes language requiring local education agencies, such as school districts, that receive funding from the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP-ESSER) to post on its website a plan by school year of how these funds will be spent.

New York has been allocated nearly $9 billion in ARP-ESSER funds, with a minimum of $8.09 billion (90 percent) going to local education agencies, including public schools. Cooperstown Central School District has been allocated $1,319,286.

Of this total, 20% of the “primary” allocation must be used to measure and address lost instructional time resulting from the pandemic. This amounts to $264,048.

Districts are also required to prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses in the following areas:

• Safely returning students to in-person instruction;

• Maximizing in-person instruction time;

• Operating schools and meeting the needs of students;

• Purchasing educational technology;

• Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction and learning loss and the impacts on low-income students, children with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students experiencing homelessness;

• Implementing evidence-based strategies to meet students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs;

• Offering evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs; and

• Supporting early childhood education.

Districts must identify any programs and services that will continue beyond the availability of these federal funds and how local funds will be used moving forward in order to minimize disruption to core academic and other school programs.

This District is in the process of developing its plan. The draft plan presented below contains recommendations received from district faculty, staff, and administration. Although cleaning and sanitizing procedures were put in place to safely return students to in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year, a portion of the funds will be used to improve ventilation systems. However, in response to parental, teacher, and support staff feedback, the majority of the District’s allocation will be used to address the learning loss experienced by students due to interrupted instruction as well as the social and emotional impact the pandemic has had on them.

Prior to completing the plan, we are soliciting parent and community feedback. Please submit your comments by July 16, 2021, by completing the following survey. When responding please remember, that the 2021-2022 enacted state budget specifically directed Districts to prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses.

Should you have questions about the funding Cooperstown received through the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 or its intended uses please email Ms. Sarah Spross, Superintendent of Schools (sspross@cooperstowncs.org).