'A game changer': Alachua County School Board asks state to release $61.5 million
Anticipating the largest amount of discretionary funding the district has ever seen, the Alachua County Public School Board voted to send an application to the state Department of Education for a lump sum of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
If approved, Alachua County Public Schools will be allocated $61.5 million in Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief funds (ESSER).
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What the money can be used for:
Coordinating emergency response;
Addressing the needs of highly vulnerable student populations;
Ensuring preparedness and coordination (systems and procedures);
Training related to student health (mental, emotional, physical);
Purchasing cleaning supplies to sanitize and clean schools;
Planning / coordinating for continued education;
Purchasing educational technology;
Mental health supports for students and teachers;
Summer learning programs;
Addressing learning loss;
Facilities repairs and improvements;
Improving indoor air quality;
Developing strategies and implementing public health protocols; and
Other activities necessary for maintaining services and instruction.
This is the district's third allocation of ESSER funding. The first time it received $6.1 million and the second time $25.7 million.
The district has to use their third influx of federal money by Sept. 30, 2024.
The vote passed 4-0. School board member Gunnar Paulson was not in attendance for Tuesday's night board meeting.
But questions rose among board members and community members on how the $61.5 million in funding would be spent across the district.
Two concerned citizens addressed the board and the superintendent asking for more community engagement and transparency on how the funding would be spent.
"All of the things that have gone through here tonight, if it had been done in a workshop, where you could ask questions, where the public could ask questions, then that would have been transparent. It does not appear to be transparent to some of the citizens," said Kathleen Black, a Gainesville resident.
Black said the funding is a game changer for all of the children enrolled in Alachua Public Schools so the help of the community is needed.
Karen McCan, former president of the Alachua County Education Association, agreed with Black stating that she wanted to know how exactly the money was going to be spent.
"And I don't know. No one knows," McCan said.
Tina Certain, vice chair of the school board, said she was also concerned on how the money was going to be allocated to help learning loss.
Certain said she has had conversations with Chief of Teaching and Learning Jenny Wise about the Beyond the Bell program, an after-school virtual tutoring program that would be paid for through ESSER totaling $1.4 million.
"The amount of money the American Rescue Plan and the ESSR funds are bringing into Alachua County, the state of Florida, the United States, if we don't get it, right, we give the folks who are wanting to privatize public education all the ammunition that they need," Certain said.
Robert Hyatt, school board chair, called for a special board meeting so board members could further weigh in on the ESSER funding and the public could offer input.
Community responds to ESSER survey
On Dec. 1, Alachua County Public Schools sent out a survey to the community requesting input on how the district should the federal dollars.
The survey closed Dec. 10, with 2,057 responses including 1,138 from parents of students in the district's schools, 474 from teachers and from 146 students.
Key takeaways from the survey:
66% said funding should go towards students' social/emotional/mental well-being;
58% said funding should address student learning loss;
57% said funding should address facility improvements;
51% said funding should go towards the special student population (ESE and ESL students);
75% said funding should go towards hiring additional staff to support learning loss;
67% said funding should go towards updates on the districts website about the ESSER grant; and
56% said funding should be used to continue an emphasis on the use of technology.
The highest take away point from parents is that 61% said facility improvements are needed. More emphasis on technology was identified by 58% of parents, while 47% said they would like extended after-school tutoring.
Among teachers, 83% pointed to a need for more support staff. The survey also showed that 72% of teachers said that more staff is needed to provide counseling and social work activities for students, while 56% of teachers said the funding should be used for wellness activities.
Amongst the students, 67% said the funding should be used towards student wellness, 64% want more staff to provide wellness services, and 57% said there should be more training for instructional staff in student wellness.
The community survey also allowed for teachers, students and parents to add additional comments. Among these, 24% suggested increasing teacher salaries — including 25% of parents and 26% of teachers.
Among students, 32% suggested that the funding should be used for wellness services, and 12% want improved facilities and transportation.
Alachua County Public Schools didn't receive the ESSER application until Nov. 5, 2021. The deadline to submit was supposed to be Nov. 12, 2021 but the district sought an extension to obtain community feedback.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua schools seek $61.5 million in federal pandemic relief funding
