If you have any questions about the ARP-ESSER funding plan, please contact Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson at tomlinsons@bpcsd.org or by phone at (518) 954-2500. You may also submit comments about Broadalbin-Perth’s ARP-ESSER funding plan by completing the form below. This form will be open through June 2024.
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 their website a plan by school year of how these funds will be spent. This is that plan.
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.
In addition, districts must identify 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.
Broadalbin-Perth officials continue to seek public input related to their plans to utilize these funds over the next three years to provide continued support for the health and safety of all students as well as the enhancement and expansion of programs to support the learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following plan summary includes information regarding the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District’s allocation of $3,373,426 in federal stimulus funds through the American Rescue Plan. Of the ARP-ESSER total allocation, at least 20% or $778,658 must be earmarked to address student learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining portion of the allocation can be used to support our district, particularly in areas most impacted by the pandemic.
District officials are confident the expenditure of the remaining funds meet the charge to “prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses.” The funds allow Broadalbin-Perth to:
- Safely return students to in-person instruction
- Maximize in-person instruction time
- Operate schools and meet the needs of students
- Purchase educational technology
- Address 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
- Implement evidence-based strategies to meet students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs
- Offer evidence-based summer, after school, and other extended learning and enrichment programs
- Support early childhood education
Please note some key considerations as you review the information below:
- The plan covers a three-year funded time span through September, 2024.
- The three-year plan is meant to be fluid and amendments are allowed every six months. As such, we anticipate that amendments will likely occur as we implement programs, review each program’s impact on student learning and engagement and revise as necessary.
- Sustainability of expenditures is important to consider as we do not want to face a funding cliff. We do not expect to have the capacity to use local resources beyond the availability of these federal funds.
- Community stakeholder input is important and valued.
Three pools of funding were allocated with the following purpose and intent:
- CARES Act – GEER and ESSER – $346,881:
- Designed for expenses related to COVID-19 in March of 2020 through reopening of 2021
- Funds were matched with a reduction to foundation aid – NYS funding to school districts
- Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act – CRRSA – $1,570,362:
- Used for emergency expenses to address the impact COVID-19 has had, and continues to have on elementary and secondary schools
- Includes funding related to a safe return to in-person instruction that deals with instruction and social-emotional support for the 20-21 through 23-24 school years
- American Rescue Plan Act – ARP- ESSER – Including State Reserve Funds $3,375,078:
- Designed to help with learning loss, summer and after school programming, enrichment, curriculum, student engagement, social-emotional support and to ensure a safe return to in-person instruction
- Requires reservation of at least 20% of the allocation to address learning loss through implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive after school programs or extended school year programs, and ensure that economically disadvantaged students, children with disabilities, English language learners, racial and ethnic minorities, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness and children and youth in foster care. ($456,990)
- Separate and apart from the 20% noted above, there is a minimum set-aside funding for Broadalbin-Perth from state reserve funds for the following:
- Implementation of evidence-based summer enrichment programs ($155,736)
- Implementation of evidence-based before and/or after school programs ($155,736)
- Implementation of evidence-based interventions to address the impact of lost instruction time ($778,658)
CRSSA Plan Summary
The Safe Return of Students to In-Person Instruction
- Supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities ($211,482)
- Facility updates and improvements to reduce the risk of virus transmission and to support student health needs ($518,721)
- Inspection, testing maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve indoor air quality ($530,163)
Educational Technology to Support Student Learning
- Purchase of educational technology for students to aid in regular and substantive educational interaction between teacher and student, in school and at home ($223,879)
Operating schools and meeting the needs of students
- Addition of one elementary teacher ($50,000)
- Provision of social-emotional support to students ($31,117)
- Establishing a work-based learning program for our secondary students ($5,000)
ARP ESSER Plan Summary
(March 2020 – September 2024)
Addressing the academic impact of lost instructional time – ($1,569,805)
- Summer enrichment programming, Camp Invention at the elementary level
- Summer enrichment programming, PLTW courses at the secondary level
- Summer academic programming for grades K-8 to accelerate students toward grade-level learning
- Expanded academic sunrise program at the elementary school
- After school high impact tutoring
- Additional ELA teacher for during the day academic tutoring
- Supplies for additional courses at the secondary school (under consideration: PLTW Aerospace engineering, PLTW Human Body, PLTW Biomedical, PLTW Medical Detectives, Drone/Aviation
- Horticulture programming at the elementary school
- Instructional Technology Coach/Benefits
- Professional development for instructional staff
- Resources for interventionists
- Enhanced PBIS programming
- Curriculum writing time to accelerate and accommodate for loss of instructional time/learning loss
Activities to address the unique needs of disadvantaged students – ($117,333)
- Addition of transportation staff to accommodate before and after school tutoring and summer programs
- Community outreach support
Supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities – ($150,000)
- Enhanced sanitation expenses
Educational technology – ($60,000)
- Resources to accommodate synchronous and asynchronous learning
Mental health services and supports – ($258,760)
- Additional school counselor at the elementary school/benefits to meet the mental health needs of students
- Construction of a social-emotional learning space for students
- Social-emotional curriculum purchases for grades 6-12
- Social-emotional professional development for staff
School facility improvements – ($560,000)
- Outdoor pavilion at the elementary school to increase learning space
- Painting at both campuses
- Replacement of carpeting/old flooring
- Construction of kitchen islands in two secondary classrooms
Developing strategies and implementing public health protocols to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and staff – ($141,009)
- Additional nursing staff/benefits to address on-going COVID related issues
Resources to address the unique needs of individual schools – ($518,171)
- Update student and teacher desks and building furniture to allow for increased classroom and building spacing and appropriate sanitation
- Outfitting of student-run store and cafe at the secondary campus
- Addition of two teaching assistants for one year
- Enhancement to PBIS programs at the elementary campus