ESSER III Funding Plan
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plans (ARP) Act was signed into law. In it, the U.S. Department of Education is providing an additional $121.9 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III Fund). This legislation will award grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) for providing local educational agencies (LEAs) with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
District Guaranteed Allocation: $1,306,580.00
- Funds may be used to support our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Funds are intended to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our students.
This page contains the components of the Hartford Joint #1 (HJT1) School District's ESSER III Funding Plan and information on how the HJT1 School District is providing safe and effective in-person instruction and continuity of services for all.
ESSER III Details
What must be included in an ESSER III Plan?
A district’s plan must include how it will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other school and LEA staff, and the extent to which it has adopted policies or practices and a description of any such policies or practices on each of the CDC's safety recommendations including the universal and correct wearing of masks; modifying facilities to allow for physical distancing (e.g., use of cohorts/podding); hand washing and respiratory etiquette; cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation; contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the state, local, territorial, or Tribal health departments; diagnostic and screening testing; efforts to provide vaccinations to educators, other staff, and students, if eligible; appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to health and safety policies or practices; and coordination with state and local health officials.
What can the money be spent on?
Focus on Unfinished Learning: The district must use a minimum of 20% of the Title I allocation and 100% of the allocated discretionary amount to implement evidence-based interventions to address learning loss and must ensure that interventions respond to students’ overall wellness and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups.
Preparedness and Response: PPE; hand sanitizer; infrastructures to promote physical distancing; improving indoor air quality; establishing a team to develop guidelines for infection control practices, etc.
Addressing Longterm School Closure: Staff supports for virtual instruction; providing/delivering school meals; etc.
Outreach and Services for Special Populations: Building staff capacity to serve English Learners remotely; contracted services to support short-term services for special populations; paying staff to teach parents of students with IEP technology and software; increased home/school communication and relationship building, etc.
Wellness Services and Supports: Additional school-based wellness staff and services (school counselors, school psychologists, etc.); advisory at the middle school; increased home/school communication and relationship building.
Education Technology: Devices and software for high quality instruction; improved cybersecurity; etc.
What has happened to date?
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Summer 2020: A Hartford Jt. 1 Steering Committee met to develop a 2020-21 back to school plan. Participants on this committee included parents, Hartford Jt. 1 staff, administrators, and community stakeholders.
- June 2020: parent survey was sent out to determine family needs and preferences for planning the 2020-21 safe return to school.
- July 6, 2020: Parent & Staff Future Planning Survey update letter sent
- July 14 2020: School planning update letter sent to parents
- July 21, 2020: Board approved "Reopening Our Schools" plan.
- July 22, 2020: letter sent to families regarding the reopening plan.
- July 2020: Zooms sessions held for feedback and Q&A.
- Fall 2020: November 2, 2020 area superintendent letter sent to parents & staff
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Winter 2020/21:COVID planning & mid-year survey
- February 11, 2021: mid-year parent survey sent out to determine 2020-21 changes to safe return to school and to plan forward.
- February 16, 2021: Planning updates shared with the board
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Spring 2021:COVID planning & mid-year survey
- March 16, 2021: Board minutes
- May 18, 2021: Board Minutes
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Summer 2021: planning for safe return to 2021-22 school year occurred.
- June 22, 2021: citizens addressed the Board.
- August 3, 2021: Board approved instructional models & procedures
- August 24, 2021: citizens addressed the Board.
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Fall 2021: October and November 2021 Board approves updates to the safe return to school plan.
- September 28, 2021: Board minutes
- October 26, 2021: Board minutes
- November 23, 2021: Board approved comprehensive ESSER III spending plan.
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Winter 2021-2022
- November-December 2021: ESSER III preliminary plan launched on website for review and comment.
- December 2021-February 2022: ESSER III application and budget completed in WISEgrants.
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Spring 2022
- March 2022: DPI generated ESSER III plan updated on District website.