The American Rescue Plan stipulates that 20% of an LEA’s total ESSER III award must be reserved to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs.
All activities and interventions funded through this required set aside must be evidence-based (see below), respond to students' academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable student populations, including each major racial and ethnic group, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, gender, and migrant status, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care.
Activities and interventions may include:
Summer learning or summer enrichment programs
Extended day programs
Comprehensive afterschool programs
Extended school year programs
Other strategies (which could be during the regular school day)
Evidence-Based
“Evidence-based” has the same definition as used in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for programs such as Title I-A.
Our Evidence-Based Practices, Strategies, Programs and Intervention webpage for more information, training materials and resources – to include tools and external websites that may be used to identify evidence-based resources, programs, practices and interventions
Visit the Evidence-Based Practices, Strategies, Programs and Intervention webpage
This template should be completed and uploaded as a Related Document in the ESSER III application to ensure evidence-based requirements are met for tutoring programs that will be supported using the 20% required set-aside to address learning loss.
Search an LEA below to review their plan for addressing disrupted learning. Only LEAs whose ESSER III applications have been "approved" (not submitted) are featured here.
LEA
Use of Set-Aside Funds
Response
West Valley Arts and Technology Academy, Inc.
Wholistically address academic and SEL impact, especially for students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
Funds will be used to increase student support staff to provide more targeted instruction in small groups. Groups will be determined by data to identify the most at risk students and their academic needs. Teachers will use a push in and pull out service model based on student needs. Funds are also used for transportation to ensure students have access to in person learning. The Dean of Students will serve as a bridge between the school and families. Their role will include bringing outside resources in for families, as well as helping them navigate how to best support their child. The Dean's focus will be on social and emotional development, providing targeted intervention to students, and professional development to staff on best practices. The TES Personalized Learning Team will assist the leadership team with data management and evaluating the effectiveness of the academic and social emotional programming quarterly. Action plans with next steps will be created as needed to measure growth.
While the Dean of Students will be helping with behaviors; his main job is to ensure teachers have resources needed to provide social emotional support. He will provide small group SEL instruction to students regularly, push in to do whole group lessons, identify at risk students and connect their families with outside resources, and provide professional development to teachers. We do not have funds available to hire an additional counselor or social worker so we are being very intentional with the Dean's role in proactive support.
Western School of Science and Technology, Inc.
Wholistically address academic and SEL impact, especially for students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
Western School of Science and Technology is primarily using ESSER III funds to support student learning loss and student SEL needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dedicated staffing will ensure that staff can address the academic and social needs of students disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. Western enrolls a high number of racial/ethnic minority students, primarily Hispanic, and the majority are eligible for the federal free/reduced lunch program. Approximately 20% of the school population are English language learners and a smaller percentage (less an 5%) are annually identified as experiencing homelessness. For its SEL programs, Western relies on the CASEL program, Student Success Skills. WSST uses both Beyond Textbooks and ACT Test Prep for its primary ELA and math curriculum. Staff also promote college access program activities. Western is also addressing learning loss by using additional teacher supports in science, social studies and foreign language. Additional support positions include the Director of Counseling, College & Career Readiness, the Athletic Director/Community Coordinator, a Behavioral Support Coordinator, and the SPED Director.
Whiteriver Unified District
Wholistically address academic and SEL impact, especially for students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
WE WILL BE UTILIZING DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS TO HELP ADDRESS STUDENT NEEDS. WE HAVE WORKED THIS YEAR ON IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTION IN BOTH ELA AND MATH BASED ON THE BLUEPRINTS AND RECOGNIZING SKILLS THAT ALL STUDENTS MUST MASTER. THESE WILL BE THE FOCUS OF THE INTERVENTIONS. WE WILL USE PRE AND POST DATA FOR SUMMER PROGRAMMING. WE WILL BE UTILIZING OUR BENCHMARKS DURING THE YEAR TO EVALUATE OUR PROGRAMS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE ADDRESSING OUR NEEDS.
AS FAR AS THE DEMOGRAPHIC AREAS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PREDOMINANTLY NATIVE AMERICANS AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. BOTH OF THESE ARE IDENTIFIED SUBGROUPS FOR OUR DISTRICT SO INTERVENTIONS WE DO WILL ADDRESS THESE GROUPS. THE PLC PROCESS WE ARE UNDERGOING IN THE DISTRICT FOCUSES ON LOOKING AT ALL STUDENTS' DATA. STUDENTS IN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES ARE THE BUSINESS OF EVERYONE. WE WILL UTILIZE AND OFFER THESE INTERVENTIONS TO THEM AS WELL. WE HAVE BEGUN HAVING DATA MEETINGS WITH THE SPED AND GEN ED TEACHERS TO ADDRESS THE GAPS AND FOCUS ON GRADE LEVEL DATA AND GROWTH RATHER IN ADDITION TO IEP DATA. THE PLC TRAINING WE ARE PLANNING WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TRAINED AND PREPARED TO TAKE PART IN THIS PROCESS. WE ARE ALSO UTILIZING THESE INTERVENTIONS WITH OUR EL STUDENTS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. WE WILL ENSURE ALL STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS GROWTH FOR ALL.
Winslow Unified District
Wholistically address academic and SEL impact, especially for students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
The LEA ensures that these interventions address the academic loss of learning and Social and Emotional (SEL) needs of our students.
-Counselors
-Social Worker
-Professional Development in SEL
-Training opportunities in Professional Learning Communities
-Summer School for Math and Reading
-Summer Enrichment Programs for Music and Art to address SEL
-Extended day activities for Art and STEM programs
-Updated/new Math Curriculum
-Literacy professional development
-ZEARN math program for math intervention
-Phonemic Awareness program
-Dine' Language curriculum supports
-Supplies for music; band, orchestra and the fine arts program.
